Equal Representation Act Sparks Controversy Over Citizenship Question in Census

The Republican-backed bill known as the Equal Representation Act has been introduced in both the House and Senate. The legislation proposes requiring a citizenship question to be added to the next census, set to take place in 2030, asking individuals if they are a citizen, a resident non-citizen, or an undocumented immigrant. If passed, the bill would mandate that only US citizens are counted for congressional district apportionment purposes, rather than including resident non-citizens and undocumented immigrants in the count. However, the White House has voiced opposition to the bill, stating that it would impede the Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau from carrying out its constitutionally mandated duty to calculate the number of residents in the US. The White House argues that the bill would increase costs and hinder accurate data collection, as well as violating the Fourteenth Amendment, which mandates that the number of representatives allocated to each state is determined based on the total population count, including all individuals, regardless of citizenship status. Republicans, such as Senator Bill Hagerty and Representative Chuck Edwards, have defended the bill, claiming that it prevents US votes from being diluted by undocumented immigrants and non-citizens, calling it immoral for elected officials to use immigration to artificially inflate their political power by diluting the influence of other voters’ ballots. This legislation is part of a larger push by Republicans seeking to address what they perceive as potential electoral ramifications of the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border, which saw over 2.4 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2021 alone. Another measure proposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Representative Chip Roy would require proof of US citizenship before individuals can register to vote in federal elections.