Illegal immigrants excluded from census at Trump's request in the midst of legislative district dispute
In recent developments, President Trump has proposed a change to the U.S. census that would exclude immigrants in the country illegally, a move that breaks with the traditional long-standing practice of counting all residents regardless of their immigration status.
The proposed change would significantly alter the population count, potentially impacting the allocation of congressional seats and Electoral College votes. This move is seen as a way to shift political power from Democratic-leaning states with large immigrant populations to Republican-leaning states such as Texas, which has an estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants.
However, the proposal faces significant legal challenges. The U.S. Constitution mandates an "actual enumeration" of the population every ten years, traditionally understood to include all persons residing in the country, not just citizens or legal residents. Past legal interpretations and court rulings have supported counting everyone residing in the U.S., regardless of immigration status.
If implemented, potential consequences include Texas and other states with large undocumented populations losing congressional representation, affecting their political influence and federal funding. This could lead to significant shifts in political power in Congress and presiding elections.
In 2020, Trump attempted a similar move to keep immigrants who are in the country illegally out of the census, but a federal court rejected that attempt, and the Supreme Court declined to intervene. The Trump administration's actions, including pressuring state legislators to draw rigged maps and the statement about the census, have been criticized for attempting to make a mockery of free and fair elections.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has introduced a bill that calls for a new census excluding immigrants in the country illegally and a redistricting process before the 2026 midterm elections. Legal experts have criticized the president's announcement, arguing that it violates the Constitution's commitment to count all persons in the United States for the purpose of the census.
The next census is scheduled for 2030, and planning for it is already underway. However, the future of Trump's proposed census change remains uncertain, as it is likely to face legal challenges.
Meanwhile, Democratic governors in blue states are considering their own plans to redraw their congressional maps in response to Republican efforts. In Texas, Democratic state lawmakers left the state to block a Republican-led redistricting effort aimed at giving their party five additional seats in Congress. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, requested the FBI's help to track down Democratic state lawmakers who left the state to block the redistricting effort.
With the midterm elections looming, Republicans are trying to secure every advantage they can as they face the prospect of Democrats taking control of the House. Vice President JD Vance met with Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana and other top Republicans to discuss redistricting. However, Republicans in Indiana showed no immediate agreement to move forward with a redistricting effort.
The president's efforts to exert pressure on the Census Bureau, which is part of the Commerce Department, were also unsuccessful. The White House and Commerce Department have not responded to requests for comment about the specifics of Trump's request.
In summary, Trump's push to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census faces strong legal scrutiny as it breaks with customary constitutional interpretation and raises concerns about political gerrymandering and fair representation. The future of this proposal remains uncertain, as it is likely to face legal challenges.
[1] Source: CNN and NPR
- The proposed change to exclude immigrants in the country illegally from the U.S. census, as put forward by President Trump and also suggested by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, is linked to the political arena and war-and-conflicts, as it is expected to significantly impact the allocation of congressional seats and Electoral College votes, potentially altering political power.
- The ongoing discussions about redistricting in several states, prompted by both Democratic and Republican efforts, are closely associated with policy-and-legislation and general-news, as these processes involve reshaping electoral districts to reflect population changes and political motivations, which can greatly influence the outcome of elections.
