STATEMENT: Citizenship Question Removed from the 2020 Census

Win for democracy puts California and the country on the path towards a fair census count

PRESS CONTACT

John Joanino, Advancement Project California, Senior Communications Associate, jjoanino@advanceproj.org, 213.989.9112

LOS ANGELES – On Tuesday, July 2, the U.S. Department of Commerce confirmed that the 2020 Census paper forms are being printed without a citizenship question. This announcement comes five days following the Supreme Court’s decision to temporarily halt the U.S. Commerce Department’s contrived, dangerous plan. The Census Policy Advocacy Network commends the diligent work of all litigators and policymakers involved in fighting the addition of the citizenship question. We thank the hundreds of thousands of community members who defended the integrity of the 2020 Census by speaking out and submitting public comments opposing the addition of the question.

It will take tremendous work to rebuild public trust in the 2020 Census following the Trump Administration’s attempt to undermine and politicize the census. The Census Policy Advocacy Network joins the State of California in celebrating this decision and looks forward to continue partnering with policymakers to ensure every Californian is counted.

Members of the Census Policy Advocacy Network (CPAN) offer the following statements:

“Today’s Department of Commerce announcement represents a major triumph for our nation’s democracy, and a triumph for truth, justice and science. While we are happy with this decision, we know that this effort to undermine the progress of the Latino community and suppress the count of Latinos has still left its mark on Census 2020.  Through our nationwide ¡Hágase Contar! (Make Yourself Count!) Campaign, we will do our part to save the decennial count by engaging Latinos from coast to coast about the importance of participating in Census 2020.  Our toll-free bilingual hotline—877-EL-CENSO (877-352-3767)—will be in full operation to ensure that members of our community have the information they need to count themselves and their family members.”

– Arturo Vargas, CEO, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund

“This is a victory for Asian American communities, hard-to-count communities, and everyone who believes the census should be a fair and impartial way to distribute resources and representation. We will continue providing technical assistance and legal support to community-based organizations across the Bay Area in support of an accurate Census 2020. Our communities are here and they deserve to be counted.”  

– Aarti Kohli, Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus

“The Trump administration attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census to suppress Latino and immigrant political power. Our organizations fought back and led this to victory. Our next steps will be to ensure that our communities participate in the 2020 Census, because ultimately we wanted them to have a fair opportunity to participate in the Census,”

– Samuel Molina, California State Director, Mi Familia Vota

“The Administration’s decision confirms what we’ve known all along — that adding a citizenship question to the census was not necessary, but instead a politically motivated attempt to undermine a fair and accurate count in 2020.”  

– Rick Zbur, Executive Director, Equality California

The California Native Vote Project (CNVP) applauds the steadfast efforts of accurate-count advocates, including the various Tribal governments, litigators, community based organizations, community members, and policymakers involved during this critical period. The confirmation of the elimination of the citizenship question removes a significant barrier in ensuring a fair and accurate count for Census 2020.

– Jesus “Jesse” Fraire, Statewide Census Coordinator, California Native Vote Project

“It is inspiring to witness that our country still upholds the values of democracy and justice. We are ready to get out the count in 2020 to ensure that our Southeast Asian American communities and all hard-to-count communities get their fair share of the resources we need to thrive.”

–Quyen Dinh, Executive Director, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

About the Census Policy Advocacy Network

The Census Policy Advocacy Network is a collaborative effort among multiple statewide organizations in California to help shape policy concerning the American Community Survey and the 2020 Census. Traditionally, certain populations in our nation have been disproportionately undercounted in the decennial census. These populations include African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) people, low-income communities, children, people who have disabilities and/or those who are homeless. As a result, many individuals have been denied an equal voice in their government, and many communities have been short-changed on federal and state funding for schools, crime prevention, health care, and transportation. The network’s goal is to educate policymakers and community leaders about the government investment and sound policies needed to ensure a fair and accurate census in 2020.

Our members include:

• Advancement Project California
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice – California
• California Association of Nonprofits
• California Black Census and Redistricting Hub (Black Hub)
• California Calls
• California Immigrant Policy Center
• California Native Vote Project
• California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
• Children Now
• Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
• Council on American Islamic Relations – California
• Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
• Equality California
• First 5 Association of California
• Housing California
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
• Mi Familia Vota Education Fund
• NALEO
• Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
• PICO California
• Southeast Asia Resource Action Center