By James Varney - The Washington Times - Sunday, January 21, 2018
The U.S. census asks about age and ethnicity, but doesn’t currently ask residents whether they’re citizens — something the Trump administration wants to change in time for the 2020 count.
Like much of the Trump agenda, it’s not happening without a fight.
The Justice Department’s petition to add citizenship questions to the upcoming census has ignited a firestorm of criticism from immigrant-rights advocates who say immigrants will shun the process if they’re asked to reveal that particular piece of information.
“Such a question would likely depress participation in the 2020 census from immigrants who fear the government could use the information to target them,†wrote Sen. Dianne Feinstein, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, in a letter signed by her and four of her Democratic colleagues.
“This chilling effect could lead to broad inaccuracies across the board, from how congressional districts are drawn to how government funds are distributed,†the senators said.
The census says some $675 billion, or nearly a fifth of all federal spending, relies on its numbers. The federal
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https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jan/21/trump-officials-want-2020-census-to-ask-about-citi/