On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must face a lawsuit from advocacy groups and states over its intention to ask for the citizenship status of those filling out the US Census in 2020. Manhattan US District Judge, Jesse Furman denied the attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, backed by the District of Columbia and 18 states, by the administration.
In his decision on Thursday, Furman said that although the addition of the question, included in the US Census before 1960, was within the authority of Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, that authority could be improperly wielded. A spokesman for the Commerce Department claimed it was confident of winning the case and pleased that the court agreed that Ross had broad authority on the US Census.
But, Barbara Underwood, the Attorney General of New York, who led the lawsuit, called the decision a win for the people of New York and anyone in the US wanting an accurate and fair census. The cities, organizations, and states attempting to block the addition of the question claim it could result in undercounting in those states that have a large population of immigrants. This would, in turn, jeopardize their access to federal funds and their political representation.
In March, the Commerce Department said that Ross made the decision to add the citizenship question following a request from the Department of Justice. The census is conducted every ten years, as mandated by the Constitution, and counts everyone living in the US.