The US Department of Commerce is circulating a proposal to stop collecting data on race and sexual orientation and to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2030 census count.
Key facts
- •The proposed rule would stop the collection of data on racial minorities and LGBTQ+ individuals in the 2030 census.
- •The Commerce Department memo claims undocumented immigrants are not 'true inhabitants' or members of the body politic.
- •Census data is used to determine the apportionment of congressional seats and the allocation of federal funding.
- •Removing racial categories could impact funding for American Indian and Alaska Native programs.
- •The Supreme Court previously struck down a Trump-era attempt to add a citizenship question, labeling the justification 'contrived'.
The US Department of Commerce is circulating a proposed rule that would significantly alter the 2030 census by excluding undocumented immigrants from the apportionment count and eliminating questions regarding race and sexual orientation. The proposal, currently under review across government agencies, argues that these demographic questions create distortions and that undocumented individuals do not qualify as members of the body politic.
Impact on Federal Funding and Representation
The proposed changes could have significant consequences for federal funding and congressional apportionment, as census data is used to allocate resources and determine district sizes. An anonymous Department of Health and Human Services employee noted that many programs rely on census data for funding, meaning localities with high numbers of undocumented residents could face losses. Additionally, the removal of racial categories could affect specialized grants for Native populations, which often use census data to determine eligibility for Tribal entities.
Political and Legal Context
The proposal would likely require the reintroduction of a citizenship question, a move previously attempted during Donald Trump’s first term but blocked by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision. Danah Boyd, a professor at Cornell University, stated that eliminating demographic data collection would hinder the ability to assess inequality or challenge issues related to the Voting Rights Act. Recent legislative efforts include the COUNT Act, sponsored by Representative August Pfluger in August 2025, and a letter from Senator Jim Banks to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick advocating for the exclusion of non-lawful inhabitants.
Timeline
- 1950The last time a citizenship question was included in the census before the Trump administration's later attempt.
- August 2025Representative August Pfluger sponsored the COUNT Act to reintroduce a citizenship question.
- October 2025Senator Jim Banks sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arguing for the exclusion of non-lawful inhabitants from the census.
Advertisement
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Wired.
