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Supreme Court blocks controversial citizenship question on 2020 census

The Supreme Court put a hold on the Trump administration's effort to add a citizenship question on the 2020 census.

News 12 Staff

Jun 27, 2019, 9:34 PM

Updated 1,762 days ago

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The Supreme Court Thursday put a hold on the Trump administration's effort to add a citizenship question on the 2020 census.
The Long Island Complete Count Committee commended the Supreme Court's decision to keep the citizenship question off the 2020 census. The committee believes if people are asked whether they're citizens, undocumented immigrants would not take part in the census out of fear of retaliation.
"The biggest threat to children is an undercount in 2020," says Rebecca Sanin, of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island. "We cannot afford to lose the programs in our communities. The programs that our families need."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wrote in a statement, "This decision will help ensure each and every New Yorker will be counted and provided with the critical services they need and deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Shame on the Trump Administration for its attempt to make the U.S. Census a political pawn in their continued anti-immigrant agenda."
Others like Al Corsico, of Woodbury, say if undocumented immigrants want the same rights as everyone else they should have to answer the question honestly.
"If they want to come in they'll come in with a card or without one," says Corsico. "So do it the American way and say yes or no."
While the question is banned for now, Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., who wrote the decision for the majority, said the Trump administration's explanation for adding the question "appears to have been contrived." It goes on to say that the executive branch "must offer genuine justifications for important decisions, reasons that can be scrutinized by courts and the interested public..."
President Trump has asked lawyers to see if the census can be delayed.
 


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