Advancing Justice | AAJC Appeals to Congress to Stop Citizenship Question on Census
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Washington, D.C. — March 27, 2018 — The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a decision late last night to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.
In response, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC President and Executive Director, John C. Yang, who serves as a member of the U.S. Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations, issues the following statement:
"The decision by Secretary Wilbur Ross to add a citizenship question for the 2020 Census is untimely, unnecessary, and unwise. A citizenship question is likely have a devastating impact on obtaining an accurate count for communities like Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
This decision compromises the integrity and accuracy of Census data planning, preparation, for and execution of the 2020 Census. This move to include a citizenship question will waste millions of taxpayer dollars that have been spent thus far in the process and the many millions more that will be needed to try to persuade participation in the upcoming census.
We call on Congress to reverse this misguided and unnecessary addition to the Census. The public trust in government has always been a challenge when it comes to the Census. This question will have a chilling and negative impact on those who may already fear participating in the Census.
We vow to fight alongside our partners to get Congress to reverse this decision and to take further action if Congress chooses inaction."
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