Nobody Can Be Excluded from 2020 Census Count

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.