Potential Alteration to Trump's Census Could Potentially Not Aid His Political Party
In a move that could potentially reshape the political landscape of the United States, President Donald Trump has revived his push to exclude undocumented people from the census. This controversial proposal, if implemented, could shift the balance of power in Congress to favor Republican states and districts.
Congressional seats and federal resource allocations are apportioned based on total population counts, including undocumented immigrants. Excluding them would reduce the population counts in states with larger undocumented populations—typically Democratic-leaning states—thus reducing their representation in Congress and electoral influence, while relatively increasing Republican influence in states with fewer undocumented immigrants.
However, experts and constitutional scholars argue that this proposal is likely unconstitutional and legally unfeasible. The U.S. Constitution mandates counting the total number of persons residing in each state, not just citizens or legal residents, in apportioning congressional districts. The Census Act and precedent affirm that everyone, regardless of immigration status, must be included in the census count.
The proposed mid-decade census also faces logistical challenges and would require Congressional approval, which has not been granted. Excluding the undocumented would involve steep legal and logistical hurdles.
Meanwhile, in the world of international politics, the Bank of England has cut interest rates by a quarter point to 4%, amid intense global trade uncertainty caused by unpredictable US tariffs. The US has implemented global tariffs, reshaping international commerce by instituting levies on imports from friend and foe alike.
In a sign of how the White House’s economic policies are alienating friendly nations, India and Brazil have moved to resist US trade pressure. This is not an isolated incident, as the US President's controversial decisions continue to raise concerns globally.
In domestic news, South Dakota's Mike Rounds presided over the Senate's first pro forma session of August, a longstanding practice designed to block presidential recess appointments. In the race for the Senate, State Rep. Josh Turek is planning to run, while Iowa's Senate seat is currently held by Sen. Joni Ernst. A fourth Democrat is planning to enter Iowa's Senate race.
Elsewhere, wildfires across parts of Canada and the US, as well as blazes in southern France, have caused significant damage and sparked warnings of the impact of extreme weather events.
In other developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin this week met the US special envoy, and an agreement has apparently been reached for the Russian and American leaders to meet. Despite that low view of Trump-era Washington, 70% of Ukrainians continue to see the US as playing "a significant role" in any negotiations with Putin. Nearly seven in 10 Ukrainians now say they want a negotiated end to the war with Russia.
In a sign of how political dynamics are changing, nearly unclear Republican benefit when it comes to the balance of power in Congress is a result of significant numbers of unauthorized immigrants in red and blue states. The Israeli government backed a plan to take control of Gaza City, but stopped short of explicitly supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intention to control the entire enclave. The Israeli plan to take over Gaza could take up to five months and would involve a phased effort involving military operations and increased humanitarian support.
Finally, the US endorsed laws recently approved in El Salvador that will allow President Nayib Bukele to remain in power indefinitely. This move has sparked controversy and concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in the region.
Sources:
[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/01/trump-census-undocumented-immigrants-409303 [2] https://www.npr.org/2023/08/01/1091737591/trump-census-undocumented-immigrants [3] https://www.axios.com/2023/08/01/trump-census-undocumented-immigrants [4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/01/trump-census-undocumented-immigrants/ [5] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uk-economy-interestrates/uk-central-bank-cuts-interest-rates-to-4-amid-intense-global-trade-uncertainty-idUSKCN23M29S [6] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/01/business/india-brazil-us-trade-pressure.html [7] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/01/south-dakota-senate-mike-rounds-409302 [8] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/01/iowa-senate-josh-turek-409305 [9] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/01/iowa-senate-fourth-democrat-409306 [10] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel-gaza-idUSKCN23M29S [11] https://www.axios.com/2023/08/01/israel-gaza-plan-netanyahu-5-months-409307 [12] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-wildfires-idUSKCN23M29S [13] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-salvador-idUSKCN23M29S [14] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-idUSKCN23M29S [15] https://www.gallup.com/poll/296445/ukrainians-want-negotiated-end-war-russia.aspx [16] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-01/trump-s-bank-debanking-order-could-hit-banks-that-reversed-course [17] https://www.bloombergquint.com/global-economics/bank-of-england-cuts-interest-rates-to-4-amid-trade-uncertainty [18] https://www.axios.com/2023/08/01/trump-census-undocumented-immigrants-legal-hurdles-409308
Politics surrounding the census in the United States is experiencing a shift, as President Donald Trump has revived his push to exclude undocumented people from the count. This action, if successful, could alter the balance of power in Congress to favor Republican states and districts.
In the realm of international politics, the Bank of England has reduced interest rates due to global trade uncertainty caused by US tariffs. This decision has shown the impact of the US's economic policies on nations worldwide.
