Census Bureau Asked 250,000 Households About Their Citizenship Status

By Walter Ewing 

Despite losing at the Supreme Court, the Trump administration still managed to ask nearly a quarter of a million U.S. households about the citizenship status of their household members. 

That’s because the administration had already started mailing out its 2019 Census Test—a nationwide test used to inform the upcoming 2020 Census—two weeks before the Supreme Court made its ruling. In reaching its decision, the Supreme Court effectively barred the inclusion of a citizenship question in the 2020 Census. Such a question can appear on the Census, but the Court said the government failed to offer a suitable justification for adding it now. 

Yet the question had already been included in some versions of the 2019 Census Test. The Census Bureau wanted to gauge how it would impact the response rates of the near-250,000 households that received it. If fewer people responded to the test that included the question than tests that did not, the bureau could change their strategy. The bureau could hire more census takers to conduct in-person interviews to compensate for fewer people filling out and mailing in the 2020 Census form. 

This became a moot point on June 27 when the Court ruled against the Trump administration. The Court said the government’s justification for including a citizenship question—to enforce the Voting Rights Act—was “contrived.” 

Rather, the question was a “pretext” for a politically-motivated attempt to scare immigrant households into not answering the Census. As a result, communities with large immigrant populations would lose political representation during the next round of congressional redistricting. They would also suffer from cuts to public funds for roads, schools, hospitals, and health care that are dependent on population size. 

But by the time this ruling came down, the Census Bureau had already started mailing out its 2019 Test—complete with citizenship question. Although the Test went to relatively few people compared to those who will receive the 2020 Census, it is unclear how the inclusion of the citizenship question will affect respondents.

Will it sow fear and confusion in immigrant communities ahead of the 2020 Census? Just as importantly, what is the Census Bureau going to do with the responses it receives from those households that completed and returned the Test? 

Source: www.immigrationimpact.com 

https://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a4335-Census-Bureau-Asked-About-Their-Citizenship-Status.html

U.S. Supreme Court Temporarily Halt Citizenship Question In 2020 Census

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund today released a statement from CEO Arturo Vargas following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to temporarily halt the citizenship question from moving forward in Census 2020.

“Today’s decision from the U.S. Supreme Court has for the moment walked our nation back from the brink of a catastrophic disaster that would have inflicted a wound on our constitution and democracy that may never have healed. 

“Choosing to send the case back to the district court in New York in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the U.S. Commerce Department’s rationale for adding the question was ‘contrived’ and raised questions about its motivations. The New York District Court previously ruled that the Administration acted in error, with two other similar lower court rulings finding that the addition of the citizenship question also violated the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Commerce Department must now provide an alternative and reasonable justification to the lower court in order to move forward with a question on citizenship in Census 2020. 

“While this victory is far from settled, the nation’s highest court did send a clear message today that future cabinet members and administrations are not free to make arbitrary and politically motivated decisions at will, denying those with ill-intentions the power and discretion to fabricate excuses and ignore facts and laws free from consequences. 

“We now call on the New York District Court to remove the citizenship question once and for all so that the U.S. Census Bureau can proceed with the clarity and certainty it needs to execute a Census 2020 that is fair, constitutional and accurate.” 

“Even if the citizenship question is halted for good, we know this effort to undermine the progress of the Latino community and suppress the count of Latinos has left its mark on Census 2020. Our work mobilizing the nation’s second largest population group remains more important than ever as we attempt to rebuild the trust that has been eroded over the course of this fight. Standing alongside our nation’s Latino leadership and partners, we will work together to educate our community about this important development and make sure that every Latino is counted in the 2020 Census. 

“The Census Bureau understands as well as we do, that an undercount of Latinos, who account for nearly one of every five persons in the United States, would mean a failed Census for the country. We have our work cut out for us, but the lack of a citizenship question will at least give us a fighting chance to attempt to tackle the monumental task of counting every person living in the United States. We know it will still require millions in taxpayer dollars to overcome the lingering and chilling effects of the citizenship question effort on Census participation if we want a successful Census 2020. 

“Through our nationwide ¡Hágase Contar! (Make Yourself Count!) Campaign, we will do our part to save the decennial count by engaging Latinos from coast to coast about the importance of participating in Census 2020. Our toll-free bilingual hotline—877-EL-CENSO (877-352-3767)—will be in full operation to ensure that members of our community have the information they need to count themselves and their family members. 

“The stakes are too high for the Latino community and our democracy to rest on our laurels. Our dedication to a full portrait of this nation is unwavering, and we remain staunchly committed to ensuring a fair and accurate Census count of all persons in the United States, including Latinos and immigrants, as required by the U.S. Constitution. 

“We know the fight for a fair and accurate Census 2020 is far from over. We hope for swift and absolute resolution from the New York District Court so that we can devote our time and resources toward healing our nation and working towards a full count of all persons in Census 2020.” 

In a stark reversal, President Trump and the Justice Department say they are still looking at ways to add a citizenship question in the 2020 census. Trump issued several tweets and comments late last week, starting just one day after the Justice Department said the census would go ahead without the citizenship question on Tuesday following a Supreme Court ruling against the administration. Trump says he would consider an executive order to add the question, though it’s unclear if this would succeed given the recent ruling. 

Meanwhile, on Friday, a federal judge in Maryland said he is moving ahead with a case to determine whether the Trump administration added the question in order to discriminate against immigrant communities. 

Source: NALEO Educational Fund 

https://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a4297-Citizenship-Question-In-2020-Census-United-States.html