Supreme Court says no, for now, on census citizenship question

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT sent the issue of adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census back to the U.S. Department of Commerce, finding the department's explanation of its reasons to introduce the question inadequate. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/AL DRAGO
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT sent the issue of adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census back to the U.S. Department of Commerce, finding the department's explanation of its reasons to introduce the question inadequate. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/AL DRAGO

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court issued a mixed decision on the Trump administration’s bid to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, saying the Commerce Department’s explanation for adding the question was inadequate.

Acting in the marquee case of its 2019-2020 term, the court said a federal judge was right to send the issue back to the department. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said he added the citizenship question because the Justice Department had said it would help with enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark 1965 law designed to protect the rights of racial minorities at the polls.

The addition of the citizenship question to the census has been predicted to significantly suppress responses in Rhode Island. Either way, the state is at risk of losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives due to population trends elsewhere in the country.

“The Trump administration tried to weaponize the U.S. Census for their own political benefit,” said Rep. David N. Cicilline, D-R.I., following the decision Thursday. “I am pleased that the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked them from doing so. It’s critical that everyone be counted in 2020. That won’t happen if the administration continues to play politics with the Census.”

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President Donald Trump’s administration’s has been hoping to start printing census questionnaires in a matter of days. The ruling means the administration will have to hold off, at least for now.

Greg Stohr is a reporter for Bloomberg News.

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