2020 Census Will Ask About Citizenship Status

The U.S. Commerce Department has agreed to a Department of Justice request to include a citizenship status question on the 2020 Census, reports Roll Call . Opponents warn the reinstatement of such a question could undercut the proper tally in minority communities, especially those having large populations of undocumented immigrants. "Importantly, Commerce's review found that limited empirical evidence exists about whether adding a citizenship question would decrease response rates materially," said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "Concerns about decreased response rates generally fell into the following two categories — distrust of government and increased burden." Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) has expressed frustration for receiving what she called incomplete answers from Ross about the Census questionnaire during a House Appropriations subcomittee hearing. "Adding a question about citizenship status would be reckless and misguided," she emphasized. "It would lower response rates from those in immigrant communities, make the census more expensive, and add further complications to an already underfunded and underprepared Census Bureau." Ross said his ultimate decision was based on the perception that the need for accurate data for the Justice Department's efforts to enforce the Voting Rights Act outweighed potential cost hikes or other reduced response rate issues. "Completing and returning decennial census questionnaires is required by federal law, those responses are protected by law, and inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 decennial census will provide more complete information for those who respond," he argued.