Trump Administration action on census violates several laws, including Fourteenth Amendment

WASHINGTON – Today, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum calling for undocumented people to be excluded from being counted toward congressional representation after the 2020 Census. The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires the federal government to reapportion congressional seats by “counting the whole number of persons in each state” every 10 years. Congress also uses the census results to distribute trillions of federal dollars, and state and local governments use the data to redraw voting districts.

“The Trump Administration is sacrificing the accuracy and legitimacy of the 2020 Census for political gain,” said Paul Smith, vice president at Campaign Legal Center (CLC). “This illegal action will be swiftly met with a legal challenge. The census determines how political power is distributed within states, so it must be done right.”

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to help the public understand what led to the government’s decision.

Learn more about CLC’s efforts to protect the integrity of the 2020 Census.

Voter eligibility for General Election still remains to be decided by ultimate outcome of case

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to overturn an appeals court order that will prevent nearly a million Floridians from registering and voting in next month’s primary. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the appeals court order an error, adding that the Supreme Court’s “inaction continues a trend of condoning disenfranchisement.” She was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The case continues at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which has scheduled a hearing for August 18, the same day as Florida’s primary, making it too late for affected voters to participate.

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and partners had filed an application last week. That motion was denied.

“This is a deeply disappointing decision,” said Paul Smith, vice president at CLC. “Florida’s voters spoke loud and clear when nearly two-thirds of them supported rights restoration at the ballot box in 2018. The Supreme Court stood by as the Eleventh Circuit prevented hundreds of thousands of otherwise eligible voters from participating in Florida’s primary election simply because they can’t afford to pay fines and fees. We look forward to continuing to fight for Florida voters so they can participate in the General Election in November.”

The registration deadline for the state’s August 18 primary is July 20.