The U.S. Justice Department wants a judge to declare that a Pennsylvania city's method of electing council members citywide instead of by districts has illegally diluted the political power of its growing Hispanic population,

The federal government is suing Hazleton, accusing the city of discriminating against Hispanic voters with its at-large system for electing city council members, authorities said. The Department of Justice announced the lawsuit against the City of Hazleton in a news release on Tuesday,

The U.S. Justice Department claims Hazelton's method of electing council members citywide instead of by districts has illegally diluted the political power of its growing Hispanic population.