Former President Donald Trump has introduced a proposal to exclude undocumented immigrants from the United States census, aiming to shift political power in favor of the Republican Party. According to the Associated Press, Trump has directed the Department of Commerce to alter the Census Bureau's data collection methods, stating that future censuses should rely on "current figures" and the outcomes of the 2024 presidential election.
In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump emphasized that these adjustments would remove individuals who are "illegally in our country" from the census count. However, legal and logistical experts have raised concerns about the feasibility of such a plan. The process of conducting a new census requires Congressional approval and is governed by both the Census Act and the Constitution, as reported by AP.
The census plays a crucial role in the allocation of over $2.8 trillion in federal funding. Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former legislative advisor specializing in census issues, highlighted, "The Constitution mandates counting the total number of people in each state." She further noted, "Trump cannot unilaterally order a new census. It's an ill-conceived idea."
This announcement is part of a larger pattern where Trump has sought to manipulate key indicators like employment figures and electoral district distribution to his advantage. The current proposal aims to have Republican-controlled states such as Texas, Indiana, and Missouri redraw their congressional maps ahead of schedule, potentially resulting in more seats for the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections.
Reviving Previous Attempts
Trump's current proposal echoes his failed 2019 attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The Supreme Court blocked that measure after warnings that it could lead to millions of immigrants and Latinos being undercounted, skewing the results. The last significant effort to exclude undocumented immigrants from official figures also faced setbacks in lower courts. The Supreme Court refrained from making a substantive ruling on the matter following Trump's electoral defeat in 2020, leaving the issue legally unresolved.
Political Tensions and Potential Legal Battles
The renewed focus on census modifications has already sparked tensions between Democrats and Republicans and could lead to new legal challenges. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has criticized the 2020 census, advocating for redistricting in his state before the 2026 legislative elections, suggesting that the population growth in Florida was inaccurately reflected.
In a Tampa event, DeSantis argued that Florida deserved more representation in Congress, claiming the 2020 census underestimated the state's actual growth. Florida Politics reported details of the event held at the Hillsborough Academy of Math and Science. DeSantis labeled the census as "malapportionment," attributing it to a counting process halted in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He asserted, without presenting technical analysis, that had the census been conducted properly, Florida might have gained three to five additional seats in the House of Representatives. DeSantis stated that his administration is exploring legal and legislative avenues to push for new districting, even without a new census, and would welcome efforts by the state legislature in this direction.
DeSantis also accused "blue states"—those with Democratic majorities—of artificially inflating their populations by including undocumented immigrants in the census, which he claims is "unconstitutional." He stated, "I wasn't going to use taxpayer money for that," referring to his refusal to fund similar processes in Florida.
Furthermore, DeSantis suggested that this imbalance in national representation could have potentially altered the Electoral College's balance in 2024. He argued that, if the alleged error had not been corrected, Kamala Harris might have won with just three states from the "Rust Belt," leading, in his view, to a "constitutional crisis" because "with a correct census, Trump would have won regardless, even losing those states."
He also mentioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who, according to DeSantis, shares the belief that "the census was flawed" and that Florida did not receive the representation it deserved.
Understanding the Implications of Trump’s Census Proposal
What is the main objective of Trump's proposal to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census?
Trump's proposal aims to shift political power in favor of the Republican Party by altering the distribution of congressional seats based on census data.
Why are experts concerned about the feasibility of Trump's proposal?
Experts worry that the proposal is legally and logistically challenging because conducting a new census requires Congressional approval and is governed by the Census Act and the Constitution.
How might Trump's plan impact states like Texas and Florida?
Trump's plan could lead Republican-controlled states to redraw their congressional maps, potentially increasing their representation in Congress.
What was the outcome of Trump's previous attempt to alter the census?
Trump's previous attempt to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census was blocked by the Supreme Court, as it could have led to an undercount of immigrants and Latinos.