Another lawsuit challenges planned citizenship question on '20 census forms
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Another lawsuit has been filed against the Commerce Department, asking the court to stop the agency’s plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
The action was filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court on behalf of various immigrants rights groups, the Associated Press reports.
The citizenship status question will significantly reduce participation by immigrant communities, and that will deprive them of economic benefits and stunt growing political influence, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents the plaintiffs.
The citizenship question was announced in March. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said it was necessary to help the government enforce the Voting Rights Act, according to AP.
Arnold & Porter is also listed as counsel on the complaint. A similar lawsuit was brought in California, and there’s an additional New York filing, with plaintiffs including 17 Democratic attorneys general, according to the article.
There has not been a citizenship question on U.S. Census forms since 1950, report the AP and the ACLU.
