Senator Bill Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee, is set to propose a new bill next week that would mandate the inclusion of a citizenship question in the census.
The move is aimed at preventing non-citizens from being included in the count for congressional apportionment, a concern that has been amplified by the recent influx of migrants due to the ongoing border crisis.
The proposed legislation, dubbed the Equal Representation Act, would necessitate the addition of a question on the decennial census, asking respondents to identify as a citizen, a resident non-citizen, or an illegal immigrant. The draft of the bill, obtained by Fox News Digital, stipulates that non-citizens should not be counted for the apportionment of congressional districts. As it stands, all individuals, including resident non-citizens and illegal immigrants, are counted for redistricting. The proposed changes would be implemented in the 2030 census and subsequent ones.
The introduction of this bill comes amidst growing concerns from Republicans that Democrats could gain an electoral advantage due to the surge in illegal immigrants. These immigrants often gravitate towards liberal areas with extensive social services, right-to-shelter laws, and sanctuary policies that hinder cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Former President Donald Trump had previously attempted to include a citizenship question on the census, but his efforts were thwarted by the Supreme Court, which deemed his reasoning insufficient. Despite considering the use of an executive order to enforce the inclusion of the question, the census proceeded without it. "Think about it, $15-20 billion [on a census], and you're not allowed to ask if someone's a citizen," Trump lamented.
The issue has resurfaced due to the massive influx of migrants into the U.S. as a result of the current border crisis. Cities like New York City and Chicago have seen a significant increase in their populations, and states like California could potentially see their numbers boosted by the large number of illegal immigrants.
In the fiscal year 2023, there were over 2.4 million migrant encounters. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas disclosed that over a million people have been released into the U.S., with Border Patrol agents releasing over 85% of migrants into the interior.
Recently, comments by Rep. Yvette Clarke, a Democrat from New York, sparked controversy when she stated, "I need more people in my district just for redistricting purposes." These comments caught the attention of commentators, including Elon Musk, the CEO of X.
Earlier this week, similar legislation was introduced in the House as part of a package of legislation from Rep. Matt Rosendale, a Republican from Montana.
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