Thread by @Heritage

It’s being described as a loss—but the Trump administration actually won a partial victory Thursday in the lawsuits filed to prevent the reinstatement of a citizenship question on the U.S. Census.

We need accurate information on our population—including the number of non-citizens— for many reasons.

That includes distribution of federal funds, drawing of political boundary lines for state legislative and congressional seats, and formation of our nation’s immigration policy

There have been 23 decennial censuses since 1790.

All but one between 1820 and 2000 asked about citizenship or place of birth.

In 2010, the #citizenshipquestion was moved to the American Community Survey—which is sent out annually to many American households.

The Court said the Constitution’s Enumeration Clause (which directs the conduct of a census every 10 years) permits Congress to inquire about citizenship.

Furthermore, the Commerce Secretary has the authority to make that inquiry because Congress gave him that authority.

However, his decision is subject to judicial review under another federal law that governs such regulatory determinations, the Administrative Procedure Act.

The Court concluded Commerce Sec Ross’ decision that adding the #citizenshipquestion would provide more accurate citizenship data (when weighed against the uncertain risk that it could lower the response rate) was reasonable and supported by the evidence before him.

It wasn’t arbitrary or capricious.

However, the Court concluded that @TheJusticeDept claim that this information is needed for enforcement of the Voting Rights Act seems to have been “contrived,” so it remanded the case to the lower court to further investigate the issue.

Accurate citizenship data is required for enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.

The Justice Department should quickly provide that evidence to the federal court so this issue can finally be resolved and the #citizenshipquestion added to the 2020 Census.

usatoday.com/story/opinion/…