Trump Surrenders: Citizenship Question Dropped From 2020 Census

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: LaGloria Wheatfall, [email protected], 202.548.7160

Though Trump stokes fear in immigrant communities, groups stay focused on getting out the count

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund, issued the following statement on Trump’s announcement to drop the citizenship question from the 2020 Census:

“After a reckless and fear mongering week, Trump has begrudgingly accepted what the Supreme Court, census experts, and three federal courts have told him – he cannot weaponize the census and add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. This is a welcome reprieve of his partisan agenda, and a win for all communities. Trump’s remarks were pure propaganda and a continuation of his lies. His attempt to save face is just a repackaging of what the government already does through administrative records. We remain on guard to combat any attempts to sabotage a fair and accurate count.”

“Trump’s desire is clear – to stoke fear in immigrant communities and construct a whiter electorate. We will not allow anyone to be erased in our America. Our position remains the same: everyone counts. Now we intensify our work to ensure a fair and accurate count, especially in communities that have been historically and systemically missed at disproportionately high rates. Many people remain understandably fearful of this administration’s motives, but we commit to doing everything within our power to make sure that their data stays lawfully protected. Every person living in the United States must have access to the representation and resources they deserve.”

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Education Fund’s campaigns empower and mobilize advocates around the country to push for progressive change in the United States. It was founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. For more information on The Education Fund, visit civilrights.org/edfund/.

More information about The Education Fund’s Census Counts campaign is available at censuscounts.org.