The Trump administration proposed new rules limiting the census count to citizens and green card holders, excluding undocumented immigrants, international students, asylum seekers, and refugees. This follows a 2019 Supreme Court block on a citizenship question and a 2020 memo to exclude undocumented immigrants from House seat apportionment. The proposal argues these individuals lack 'sufficient tie and allegiance' to be counted as 'true inhabitants.' The plan would also remove race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation questions from the short-form questionnaire.
Using Pew Research and Migration Policy Institute data, roughly 16.5 million people would be uncounted, disproportionately affecting large cities and university areas that lean Democratic. This could tilt Electoral College and House seat apportionment, potentially taking seats from both red and blue states. Census data directs over $2.8 trillion annually in federal funding to 353 programs, with noncitizens legally entitled to some benefits.
The administration claims this makes the census 'colorblind,' but critics argue it undermines constitutional requirements and erases important demographic data.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing