Democratic Southland Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, who represents the nation’s most Latino district, Thursday welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court decision to turn back the Trump administration’s effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. census.
“The Supreme Court has turned back President Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. This ruling is a victory for an accurate, comprehensive, and complete Census count.
“Trump is eager to silence the voices of vulnerable populations in our communities; that’s why he wanted a Census citizenship question that will dramatically undercount these populations.
“An accurate and complete 2020 Census is essential to ensuring our communities receive the federal funds we need for countless critical programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, school lunches, highway funding, housing assistance, and more.
“While the Court’s ruling is a victory for our nation, our House Democratic Majority will stay vigilant, and fight any further efforts to sabotage a fair and accurate 2020 Census.”
In a ruling by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who was joined by the court’s liberals, the court said the Trump administration did not adequately explain its reason for adding the question. The ruling included a direct rebuke to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who last year decided to add a citizenship question to all forms for the first time since 1950.
“Altogether, the evidence tells a story that does not match the explanation the secretary gave for his decision,” Roberts said.
The court sent the matter back to a lower court for review.
In January, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in New York blocked the citizenship question and issued a 277-page opinion describing how Ross had failed to follow the advice of census experts or explain his reasons for making a change that could lead to a severe undercount. Judges in San Francisco and Maryland handed down similar rulings.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear the administration’s appeal in the case of Department of Commerce vs. New York on a fast-track basis because the government said it needed to begin printing census forms this summer.
Also praising the ruling Thursday morning was Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendant of Schools Austin Beutner.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to not include the citizenship question in the 2020 Census is the right thing for public education,” he said in a statement.
“The Census is used to determine the amount of funding Los Angeles Unified receives from federal programs. Los Angeles Unified received $328 million in Title I funding and nearly $40 million for other federal education and health programs for the 2017-2018 school year. If the question is eventually included, it could lead to a loss of as much as $20 million every year in Title I funding, which would pay for about 200 additional teachers in schools serving students with the highest needs.
“The citizenship question is not some abstract, legal issue. It has real consequences in our schools.”