We're two years from 2020, but a battle is already brewing over the U.S. Census.
The population count is set to include a controversial question regarding citizenship. Some fear it will scare many people from participating.
“We’re very afraid that people will just not participate in the census,” said Cesar Espinosa with FIEL Houston.
The immigrant rights group is among those fighting a decision to include a question about citizenship on the 2020 U.S. Census. It’s something that hasn’t been done since 1950.
“Most people will more than likely not participate,” Espinosa said. “Given the political climate, given the fact that many already fear the census is going to be used against them.”
The ACLU was quick to condemn the decision.
“Undercounting communities with large immigrant populations could mean weakened political representation, and the loss of millions in aid for health, education and infrastructure,” the organization tweeted.
But U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was among those applauding the move.
“A question on citizenship is a reasonable and commonsense addition to the census,” Cruz tweeted.
“They’re simply reinstating a question that’s been used for most of the last 200 years,” said Harris County Republican Party Chairman Paul Simpson.
Simpson said the citizenship question will actually help protect minority voting rights. That’s the same claim made by U.S. Department of Commerce officials who made the change.
“I believe this is a question you don’t have to answer,” Simpson said. “There’s only a limited number of questions you have to answer, so it’s not mandatory you even answer the question.”
Census data is also used to determine how many seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Getting a good census makes certain that everybody gets their fair share of the federal largess,” said KHOU political analyst Bob Stein.
Stein questions anything that may undermine an accurate count.
“There is overwhelming evidence that when these questions were asked in the past, they lead to a severe undercount,” Stein said.
Critics said that could end up costing certain communities.
“I don’t even want to see what the numbers are going to look like in 2020 is this question’s on the census,” Espinosa said.
The state of California planned to sue President Donald Trump's administration over the census question. Congressman Cesar Blanco of El Paso has asked Texas officials to do the same.