Efforts to exclude individuals in the U.S. illegally from census counts used to allocate congressional seats have reignited, with Republican officials taking legal action even before the start of President Donald Trump's second term. President Trump swiftly joined the fray by signing an executive order upon his return to office, signaling a potential shift in the 2030 census. Legislation reintroduced by a Republican congressman aims to include a citizenship question on the census form.
During his first term, Trump issued orders to exclude undocumented individuals from the 2020 census count for congressional seat allocation and Electoral College votes. These actions were prompted by a Supreme Court ruling that blocked a citizenship question on the 2020 census questionnaire, citing contrived justifications by the administration.
President Joe Biden rescinded Trump's orders upon taking office in 2021, prior to the release of the 2020 census data. The recent lawsuit filed by four Republican state attorneys general seeks to exclude undocumented or temporary residents from census counts used for apportioning congressional seats, claiming unfair representation and electoral vote losses.
The Fourteenth Amendment mandates counting the 'whole number of persons' for apportionment, influencing congressional seat allocation and federal funding distribution. While projections suggest states with Democratic majorities may lose seats after the 2030 census, the lawsuit targets undocumented individuals in apportionment calculations.
Opponents of the citizenship question argue it deterred participation by immigrants and inaccurately represented the population. Concerns arise over potential changes to U.S. statistical agencies under a second Trump administration, including modifications to demographic questions and political appointments within the Census Bureau.
Experts anticipate revisions to recent statistical agency actions and potential politicization of the Census Bureau, echoing patterns observed during Trump's first term. The Heritage Foundation's policy guidebook advocates appointing individuals aligned with a conservative agenda to bureau positions.
