Republicans Push to Alter Census, Gain Advantages

The potential impact of a bill that aims to add a citizenship question to future census forms and exclude noncitizens from House of Representatives and Electoral College apportionment could have significant political consequences, according to a report by the Washington Examiner on Wednesday.

The proposed Equal Representation Act, backed by Republicans, is currently under consideration in the House of Representatives.

Studies have indicated that reallocating representatives based solely on U.S. citizens could benefit the Republican Party.

Representatives Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, who introduced the bill, argue that granting representation to illegal immigrants encourages the Biden administration’s open-border policies and could incentivize the influx of more noncitizens into the country.

However, the 14th Amendment specifies that representation in the House should be apportioned based on the total number of persons in each state, without differentiation based on legal or voting status, as noted by the Washington Enquirer.

President Joe Biden has opposed the legislation, emphasizing the need for an accurate and politically unaltered census to uphold the principle of equal representation enshrined in the Constitution, census laws, and historical practices.

The bill’s supporters also argue that it would eliminate an incentive for sanctuary jurisdictions to attract undocumented migrants.

On the other hand, states led by Democrats have raised concerns that adding a citizenship question could deter immigrants from participating in the census, potentially leading to an undercount.

Notably, the Trump administration’s efforts to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census were rejected by the Supreme Court.