Trump Administration Proposes Major Overhaul of US Census

The Trump administration has submitted a proposal to the Department of Commerce to exclude certain categories of immigrants from the US census population count. Under the plan, US citizens and lawful permanent residents would remain included, but undocumented immigrants and foreign nationals with temporary legal status would be excluded. The administration argues that these individuals are not true inhabitants and lack sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States. This change would depart from the 1790 Census Act, which directed the count of anyone with a usual place of abode in the US regardless of citizenship status.

The proposal also suggests eliminating certain questions regarding race and ethnicity. The administration cites doubts about the meaning and usefulness of these categories, claiming that reducing the response burden would increase participation and ensure fairer political representation. Additionally, the plan seeks to verify citizenship responses by cross referencing census data with records from the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security, while adding questions about legal immigration status to the short form questionnaire.

Census data is used to determine the allocation of federal resources and the distribution of seats in the House of Representatives. In fiscal year 2021, this data helped distribute more than 2.8 trillion dollars in federal funding. Critics suggest that these changes could distort community information and potentially assist in mass deportation efforts. Outlets with a center left lean frame the proposal as part of a broader effort to reshape electoral power, while outlets with a center right lean focus on the elimination of race questions and the impact on House seat apportionment.