NPNA Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Hear Case on 2020 Census this November

Nicole Melaku, executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), issued the following statement reacting to news that the United States Supreme Court will hear a 2020 census case on Nov. 30, 2020:

“The United States Constitution is clear that all persons should be counted in the census. We should not have to remind the federal government that immigrants are people, including undocumented ones. The Supreme Court agreeing to consider this question comes dangerously close to the Court being complicit with the Trump administration’s blatantly racist agenda and threatens to exclude millions of immigrants and mixed status families from a complete census count. This will ultimately undermine fundamental principles of democracy and equal representation. After the Supreme Court refused to hear a lower court’s decision against the Trump administration’s plan to request citizenship information in the 2020 census, White House counsel John V. Coghlan was unable to provide information to the U.S District Court of the District of Maryland regarding how the government would count undocumented immigrants in the country to exclude them from the census. The administration’s racism is so short-sighted, that it doesn’t even know how it will implement its exclusionary policies. This should be an easy case, and might explain why the administration and Senate Republicans are rushing through the process to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett. The Supreme Court should not rubber stamp the administration’s attempt to undermine the 14th Amendment, its requirement for "counting the whole number of persons" for representation, and our fundamental democratic values. A ruling excluding undocumented immigrants would not only have sweeping consequences on political representation of the undocumented community, but also impact the revenue rural and urban America would receive from the federal apportionment. This would occur despite the immense contributions of undocumented immigrants to our economy and communities, including an estimated $11.74 billion to state and local governments according to 2017 data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Additionally, around 10 percent of undocumented immigrants are entrepreneurs according to the New American Economy, contributing to job creation and stimulating the economy.

NPNA remains committed to ensuring that all immigrants and refugees are counted and heard.”

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The National Partnership for New Americans is a national multiethnic, multiracial organization that represents 41 of the largest regional immigrant and refugee rights organizations in 37 states. Its members provide large-scale services for the communities, to leverage their collective power and expertise for a national strategy. More information about the New American Voters 2020 campaign is available at http://newamericanvoters2020.org/

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