Last month, a leaked draft revealed that the Trump administration was considering sweeping changes to the 2030 Census. Now the Census Bureau has formally proposed the rule and opened it for public comment.

The proposed rule would exclude foreign citizens from the population used to determine congressional representation unless they are also U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. That means undocumented immigrants and many people lawfully living, working, and studying in the United States would be erased from the population used to divide seats in the House of Representatives among the states, and exclude them from the data used to redistrict the House, state, and local legislatures. In addition, the Census proposes to only include people if their address is confirmed by tax records―which could mean millions, particularly low-income families, could be missed in the decennial Census.

The proposal would also prohibit race and ethnicity questions, along with sexual orientation, on the decennial Census enumeration questionnaire. Census race and ethnicity data plays an important role in civil rights protections, legislative redistricting, research, and understanding disparities across our communities.

The Constitution states that representation must be apportioned according to the “whole number of persons in each State.” The Trump administration’s proposed changes would intentionally distort populations, denying communities representation and critical resources.

The Census happens only once every 10 years, and its apportionment count will shape congressional representation for the decade that follows, as well as the redistricting of the House, state, and local legislatures. We cannot allow the federal government to manipulate who counts in order to redistribute political power.

The Census Bureau is accepting public comments through October 13.

Click “Start Writing” to submit a comment demanding that the Census Bureau withdraw this proposal and protect a complete, accurate, and fair 2030 Census. We have provided you with a sample comment, but please personalize to have an even greater impact.

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