Impact of Adding Citizenship Question to Census Form
Congressional Republicans are advocating for the inclusion of a citizenship question in the census form, a move that has sparked controversy and raised concerns among researchers. According to a new research paper, adding a citizenship question to the census could have significant repercussions, particularly among non-U.S. citizens, especially those from Latin American countries.
Reduced Participation and Political Implications
The paper highlights that noncitizens who pay taxes but are not eligible for a Social Security number may be less inclined to complete the census questionnaire if a citizenship question is included. This could lead to incomplete responses, potentially affecting certain groups. Congressional Republicans are pushing for the citizenship question in an attempt to exclude noncitizens from census data used to determine political power and federal funding distribution. However, critics argue that this move could violate the Fourteenth Amendment, which requires the counting of all persons in the census, not just citizens.
Debate and Potential Consequences
The debate over the citizenship question has divided lawmakers, with Democrats opposing the measure, citing concerns about accuracy and fairness. While the Republican-led House passed a bill to remove noncitizens from census statistics, the Senate is unlikely to approve it. The potential consequences of excluding certain groups from the census count are significant, as it could impact representation, resource allocation, and political power.
Despite the controversy surrounding the citizenship question, researchers continue to study its impact. Previous pilot surveys have shown that including a citizenship question could deter participation among certain demographic groups, such as Hispanics, immigrants, and non-citizens. The results of these studies will play a crucial role in shaping future census policies and procedures.
