Schatz Leads Amicus Brief To Stop Inclusion of “Untested Citizenship Question” In Census

US Senator Brian Schatz. Photo Courtesy

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a bicameral group of over 120 current and former members of Congress on an amicus brief to stop the Trump Administration from including an untested citizenship question in the 2020 census.

The brief, filed on Friday, argues that Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution and the 14th Amendment make it clear that the census is intended to count all people residing in the US, both citizen and non-citizen alike.

Schatz also called the question unconstitutional, saying it will discourage participation, manipulate representation, and claims it will promote an anti-immigrant agenda.

The amicus brief supports a lawsuit filed by the State of New York to stop the addition of the question in the Census.

Following Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ proposal of a citizenship question in March, Senator Schatz introduced the 2020 Census Improving Data and Enhanced Accuracy Act. The bicameral legislation aims to protect the accuracy of the 2020 Census and ensure any proposed changes to the count are properly studied, researched, and tested.