Important points for August 8: Updates on Israel, the Census, Air Force announcements, Crime statistics, and California wildfire developments
In a move that could reshape the way the United States conducts its census, President Donald Trump is advocating for a new approach that excludes people who are in the country illegally. The proposed changes, which are said to incorporate "modern day facts and figures" and the results of the 2024 Presidential Election, have sparked controversy and raised legal questions.
Key details and implications include:
- Trump's proposal would mark a significant departure from longstanding practice where all residents, regardless of citizenship status, are counted in the census. It is unclear whether this would be a mid-decade census or changes to the next scheduled decennial census in 2030.
- The use of 2024 election data as a data source for census purposes is ambiguous and unprecedented, and it is unclear how such election data would be relevant or used in census methodology.
- Legally, the President does not have the authority to unilaterally order changes to the census. Courts have already blocked previous Trump administration attempts to add a citizenship question to the census.
- The Census Bureau and Commerce Department have responded that they intend to use modern technology and existing data sources to better estimate the number of legal residents, but they have not confirmed any plan for a new census as Trump described.
- Excluding undocumented immigrants from the census could profoundly affect the political representation and federal funding allocations that depend on total population counts, since censuses determine congressional reapportionment and resource distribution.
In summary, President Trump's proposal for a census change that excludes unauthorized immigrants, possibly leveraging new data sources like 2024 election results, would conflict with constitutional requirements, rely on congressional approval, and face legal challenges. The Commerce Department currently indicates no plans for a new full census but intends to refine data analysis methods.
Meanwhile, other news from around the globe:
- Mass protests erupted across Israel as the country's security cabinet was meeting to decide on a full reoccupation of Gaza.
- Chandler, a town in the United States, is expected to lose $250,000-$300,000 of revenue this year due to a lack of workers to pick cherries in its orchards.
- A brush fire north of Los Angeles, called the Canyon Fire, has prompted thousands to evacuate, burning about 15 square miles and remaining 0% contained as of late Thursday afternoon.
- Kristin Scott Thomas makes her directorial debut with the movie "My Mother's Wedding", also writing the script and starring in the film.
- The local weather forecast can be checked for current weather conditions.
- One motorist was clocked driving at 199 mph on the Autobahn in Germany, while details about President Trump's new tariffs are not specified.
- Gina Carano was fired from "The Mandalorian" in 2021 for expressing right-wing views on social media.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/11/us/politics/census-trump-immigrants.html [2] https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/11/politics/trump-census-illegal-immigrants/index.html [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/11/trump-census-illegal-immigrants/ [4] https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/11/politics/census-bureau-trump-immigrants/index.html [5] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-administration-wants-count-illegal-immigrants-census-but-law-stops-it-n1276352
- The current environmental-science research indicates that climate-change is accelerating at an alarming rate and will have profound impacts on our planet, making it crucial for the general-news media to continue reporting on this critical issue.
- Amidst the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's proposal for a census change that excludes unauthorized immigrants, it's important to remember that politics often intertwine with science, and in this case, the census, as legal questions and constitutional requirements are being raised.
- In other news, crime-and-justice developments continues to unfold as the Hollywood actress, Gina Carano, was recently fired from "The Mandalorian" for expressing right-wing views on social media, sparking debates about free speech and political expression within the entertainment industry.
