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For 200+ years, the U.S. has divided up seats in Congress among the states based on population counts that include both citizens & noncitizens, regardless of immigration status.
I wrote about how the Trump admin is signaling it may want to change that👇
npr.org/2019/08/14/749…
I wrote about how the Trump admin is signaling it may want to change that👇
npr.org/2019/08/14/749…
2. Since the first US census in 1790, the Constitution has called for a head count every 10 years of "persons" living in the US to determine number of congressional seats each state gets. The 14th Amendment was ratified to require the counting of the "whole number of persons."👇 
3. State of Alabama & @RepMoBrooks are suing @uscensusbureau to stop bureau's longstanding policy of including unauthorized immigrants among "whole number of persons" for apportionment. Alabama @AGSteveMarshall argues unauthorized immigrants are not "persons" under Constitution👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall 4. @TheJusticeDept attorneys have been defending the @uscensusbureau in the Alabama lawsuit -- although the presiding judge has called DOJ's efforts "rather halfhearted"👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept 5. These past few weeks, I've been tracking mixed signals from the Trump administration on whether it believes unauthorized immigrants and noncitizens in general should be included among the "whole number of persons" for apportionment after the #2020Census.
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept 6. On July 24, @RepPressley asked @uscensusbureau Dir. Steven Dillingham if citizenship data will not be used in bureau's apportionment count. Watch how Dillingham paused for 3 notable seconds before stumbling into an attempt to defer a response👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley 7. On Aug. 9, @uscensusbureau finally answered @RepPressley's question (after missing the deadline to respond by 6 days), saying the bureau cannot comment on "ongoing litigation"👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley 8. Former Census Bureau Dir. John Thompson told me he has "serious concerns" about @uscensusbureau's vague response to @RepPressley & thinks bureau's "not being allowed to state the government's position, & that raises the specter that something is going on behind the scenes"👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley 9. On July 5, a reporter asked President Trump for the reason for trying to get the now-blocked #CitizenshipQuestion on the #2020Census. "No. 1, you need it for Congress," Trump said👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley 10. On July 11, AG William Barr -- the head of @TheJusticeDept -- referenced the Alabama lawsuit that DOJ attorneys have been trying to get dismissed & said citizenship data could be "relevant" to case. "We will be studying this issue," he added👇
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley 11. Groups including @MALDEF & @LawyersComm are intervening in Alabama lawsuit to defend @uscensusbureau's inclusion of unauthorized immigrants in apportionment. Coalition led by @newyorkstateAG, plus @cityofatlanta @arlingtonVA, want to intervene too👇
npr.org/2018/07/12/628…
npr.org/2018/07/12/628…
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley @MALDEF @LawyersComm @NewYorkStateAG @CityofAtlanta @ArlingtonVA 12. And I'll keep reporting on the apportionment issue as part of my #2020Census coverage. Watch this space...
@RepMoBrooks @uscensusbureau @AGSteveMarshall @TheJusticeDept @RepPressley @MALDEF @LawyersComm @NewYorkStateAG @CityofAtlanta @ArlingtonVA 13. Btw, congressional apportionment is separate from state/local redistricting, which has also been based (for most part) on total number of residents. That may change after #2020Census bc @uscensusbureau is producing citizenship data for redistricting👇
