Thread by @hansilowang

THREAD: Ahead of 5 p.m. ET announcement at the White House, President Trump talked about the #CitizenshipQuestion at his "Social Media Summit" after introducing Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the Census Bureau and approved adding the question to the #2020Census👇

2. Trump: "Sir, you can't ask that question. Why? Cause the courts said you can't."

Three judges found adding #CitizenshipQuestion unlawful in part bc, judge in Maryland wrote, "lack of any genuine need...the woefully deficient process that led to it"👇

npr.org/2019/04/05/700…

3. Trump: "We spend -- this is another thing that's so crazy -- $20 billion on a census."

The current estimated cost for the #2020Census is $15.6 billion. More from @USGAO👇

gao.gov/assets/700/693…

@USGAO 4. Trump: "They talk to people. How many toilets do they have? How many desks do they -- how many beds? What's their roof made of?"

#2020Census forms do not include questions about toilets, desk, beds or roofing material.

@USGAO 5. @uscensusbureau's American Community Survey -- which is NOT the #2020Census -- does ask if a home has hot and cold running water, a bathtub or shower, a sink with a faucet, as well as how many bedrooms are in a home👇

www2.census.gov/programs-surve…?

@USGAO @uscensusbureau 6. But the American Community Survey does not involve every household in the country -- only about 1 in 38 households. Also unlike the #2020Census, that survey is not required by the Constitution in order to redistribute seats in Congress based on number of persons living in US.

@USGAO @uscensusbureau 7. And yes, the American Community Survey does ask a #CitizenshipQuestion. The @uscensusbureau has been using that survey to collect citizenship data for the federal government since 2005.