Supreme Court Will Hear Arguments in Case On Administration Decision to Add 2020 Census Citizenship Question

Justices should affirm the lower court ruling, which would require the administration to reverse course

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear a case brought by the New York State Attorney General about whether the controversial citizenship question will be allowed to be added to the 2020 Census. Given the timely nature of the case, it is scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this term.

“It is critical that the U.S. Supreme Court uphold the district court’s sound decision to stop this rash and politically motivated citizenship question from being added to the 2020 Census,” said Paul Smith, vice president at Campaign Legal Center (CLC). “Secretary Ross ignored the expert advice of Census Bureau officials and the overwhelming majority of public comments when he decided to add the question. Then he lied about his reasons to Congress and the public. Secretary Ross is not above the law. The quality of the Census dictates the redrawing of district lines to ensure representation of all communities. That’s what’s at stake.”

On January 15, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ordered the administration to discontinue plans to include the question.

CLC has actively opposed the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. Read about the actions CLC has taken, expressing concern over Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’s decision to add the citizenship question, and filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to investigate how the decision was made.