San Francisco – Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) denounces President Trump’s memorandum excluding undocumented immigrants from being counted toward Congressional representation during redistricting for the next 10 years. The 14th Amendment stipulates that Congressional representation be based on the “whole number of persons” in each state making the memorandum unconstitutional.
The administration’s announcement is intended to cause fear in immigrant communities and deter people from exercising their constitutional right to participate in the Census. The timing of Trump’s memorandum is not coincidental: In-person follow-up by the Census Bureau with households that have not yet completed the Census begins August 11 and will continue until October 31.
“CAA denounces this effort to prevent immigrants and communities of color from accessing political representation. We are also deeply concerned about the implications that an incomplete Census count would have on resources needed by vulnerable communities,” said Eva Poon, Policy Advocate at CAA.
Given that the Census determines the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal resources to states over the next decade, full participation in the Census by everyone residing in the U.S. helps protect people’s health and well-being. The federal government should prioritize ensuring full participation in Census 2020, not invoking fear in communities already hit hard by the current public health crisis.
“The law is clear that all people count and are to be counted in the Census and that includes all immigrants. Trump is once again targeting, dividing, and scapegoating our immigrant communities. We should be clear that all immigrants must stand together,” said Jose Ng, CAA Immigrant Rights Program Manager.
CAA calls on the Trump Administration to immediately reverse the memorandum and stands in solidarity with individuals and families who continue to be impacted by the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies. The order is strongly criticized and will likely face legal action from leading organizations that have been working to ensure a complete Census count.
CAA will continue to outreach to hard-to-count community members to make sure they are fully included in the Census count. Community members looking for Census support can call CAA’s Hotline at 415- 761-3222, for assistance in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.
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Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) is a community-based civil rights organization in San Francisco. Our mission is to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial injustice.
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