This post was originally titled “Terrible Idea: U.S. Justice Dept. Proposing That Questions About Immigration Status Be Included In Census.” I changed it after more and more attention was brought to this…terrible idea.

MOST UP-TO-DATE UPDATE:

Most up-to-date update: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ABANDONS PLAN FOR CENSUS CITIZENSHIP QUESTION – GREAT FOR OUR COUNTRY & GREAT FOR MY LESSONS NEXT YEAR, TOO!

More recent update: The Supreme Court Stopped The Census Citizenship Question — For Now

UPDATE: Terrible Decision Made To Add Citizenship Question To U.S. Census

 

The U.S. Justice Department is pushing the Census to include questions about people’s immigration status (see ProPublica’s article, Trump Justice Department Pushes for Citizenship Question on Census, Alarming Experts).

Boy, that’s sure to increase the odds that people will want to answer Census questions – NOT!

During the last Census, my English Language Learner students organized a neighborhood campaign, including bilingual materials they produced, to encourage immigrants to complete the Census. It’s always a challenge to get high participation rates in immigrant communities – both because of language and trust issues. But it’s critical to get as many people as possible to answer because of the resources it can bring into those areas.

But, really, who would trust that the Trump Administration wouldn’t use data from that question against immigrants?

The question that could sabotage the census is a CNN piece on the same issue.

Critics Say Asking About Citizenship Could Wreck Chances for an Accurate Census is from The NY Times.

The Controversial Question DOJ Wants to Add to the U.S. Census is from The Atlantic.

Potential census question on citizenship stirs fears of dampened participation is from NBC News.

Why Asking About Citizenship Could Make the Census Less Accurate is from The New York Times.

Secret use of census info helped send Japanese Americans to internment camps in WWII is from The Washington Post.

You might also be interested in:

The Best Resources To Learn About The U.S. Census

The Best Tools For Analyzing Census Data

Are you a citizen? Here’s what happens if you lie on the census. is from NBC News.

Judge rules Ross can be deposed over Census citizenship question

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the census citizenship case. Here’s why that matters. is from The Washington Post.

Some Japanese-Americans Wrongfully Imprisoned During WWII Oppose Census Question is from NPR.

The Citizenship Question Isn’t Quite Dead Yet is from The Atlantic.

Administration Must Remove Census Citizenship Question, Judge Rules is from NPR.

A Supreme Court Case That Will Affect Every Aspect of National Life is from The Atlantic.

Citizenship questions on the census have no historical pedigree is from The LA Times.

Supreme Court Hears Case Watched by Educators on Census’ Citizenship Question is from Ed Week.

K-12 Aid at Stake in Suit Over Census’ Citizenship Question is from Ed Week.

See 200 Years Of Twists And Turns Of Census Citizenship Questions is from NPR.

How The Citizenship Question Could Break The Census is from Five Thirty Eight.

The Census Adds the Citizenship Question is a good infographic.

Trump’s Proposed Census Citizenship Question Bucks Centuries Of Precedent is from NPR.

Why The U.S. Counts People Without Documentation For Congressional Districts is from NPR.