President Donald Trump (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)
July 21 2020, By Michael Dorgan
Several Queens officials have slammed President Trump for issuing a memorandum that aims to block undocumented immigrants from being counted when the number of congressional seats are determined following the 2020 census.
The memo, which was issued Tuesday, would exclude undocumented immigrants from the population count used to determine how many seats each state is allocated within the House of Representatives.
The memo does not seek to bar undocumented immigrants from the census but instead directs the Commerce department – which runs the census – to provide the Trump administration with the number of undocumented immigrants in the country. The president aims to exclude them from determining how many seats each state will receive in Congress.
New York, which has a high number of undocumented immigrants, would most likely lose seats under the revised count. In addition, billions of dollars in federal funds that are provided to congressional districts would be lost.
Congresswoman Grace Meng blasted the move as unconstitutional and said she would introduce legislation to block the memo from going into force.
“From the Muslim travel ban to separating families at the U.S. – Mexico border, this president will do anything he can to advance his anti-immigrant agenda, and now he is using reapportionment to expand that cruel and un-American effort,” Meng said in a statement Tuesday.
The Trump administration argues that the constitution does not define who is to be included or not in determining apportionment following the census.
“The discretion delegated to the executive branch to determine who qualifies as an ‘inhabitant’ includes authority to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status,” Trump’s memo states.
“Excluding these illegal aliens from the apportionment base is more consonant with the principles of representative democracy underpinning our system of government,” it reads.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney echoed Meng’s remarks and said Trump’s act was an attempt to politicize democratic institutions.
“Taking this step right in the middle of the ongoing Census is particularly egregious and sinister because it appears purposefully designed to depress the count, deter people from filling out their forms, and corrupt the democratic processes on which our nation is founded,” Maloney said in a statement Tuesday.
Maloney said the action would harm entire communities and contradicts sworn testimony by Trump officials that the citizenship question had nothing to do with apportionment purposes.
It is unclear how the Trump administration would gather information on undocumented immigrants given that there is no citizenship question included in the 2020 census. The Trump administration attempted to add a question of citizenship on the 2020 census but the Supreme Court blocked the move last year.
However, the Trump administration may use data compiled by other federal agencies to make a determination. The president issued an executive order following that Supreme Court defeat which ordered several federal agencies to share all available information with the Commerce Department to decipher which respondents are legally in the country and which are not.
Nevertheless, Jackson Heights Council Member Danny Dromm said that the president doesn’t get to choose who is counted on the census.
“When it comes to the United States Census, the Constitution’s mandate is clear: everyone residing in the U.S. must be counted,” Dromm said in a statement Tuesday.
Dromm said the action was little more than a campaign stunt that will be thwarted by the judicial system and voters this November.
Elmhurst Council Member Francisco Moya also said the move was political to gain votes for Republicans.
“All he [Trump] and Republicans care about is that this will help them gerrymander districts to shore up votes and silence immigrant communities,” Moya said in a statement Tuesday.
“Trump doesn’t care about the countless people who depend on the federal programs that will be gouged if this memorandum is followed — programs like Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, education grants and housing assistance.
Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee joined the chorus of complaints, tweeting that Trump has “perpetually tried to weaponize the census.”
“Queens will not be distracted in our efforts to ensure a full and accurate count,” she wrote.
No one can pick and choose who’s counted in the #2020Census, not even the POTUS who has perpetually tried to weaponize the Census. #Queens will not be distracted in our efforts to ensure a full and accurate count. https://t.co/szcZ6VlmUV
— Queens Borough President Sharon Lee (@QueensBP2020) July 21, 2020
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31 Comments
He bought those things with money. Money he earned.
What kinda stuff do you rightfully own???
Much bigger forces at work here…..the goal of the radical left is to foment a revolution in this country…..They’re extremely clever and have hijacked legitimate groups and organizations under the guise of “social justice”. The real aim here is to eventually do away with the Electoral College system in this country…..the vote will be decided by basically 4 states …mainly comprised of illegal aliens…who are disenfranchised. The left has weaponized them in a sense…..they could care less about the rights of anyone. It is an agenda to end this country as we know or knew it.
Murph – “It’s couldn’t care less”. Nice conspiracy theory.
So sad to see these democrats so called “leaders” sell out in big cities, their true character comes outs when a crisis hit. They will never solve any problems they speak about, they will use it as a token for the next election.
Republicans largest contributors are the root cause at the illegal alien issue. Corporate America entice illegal aliens to come here by hiring them. Corporations have capitalized in the billions off illegal alien labor and have short changed the social security system in the process., Main reason why the system is facing shortfall.
If you don’t believe big businesses and corporations also are democrat donors, there’s a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you.
Keep drinking that DNC Kool-Aid.
Call the Supreme Court! What do you think the “original intent” was?
If the libs don’t like the answer, will they promote reservation?
If you elected a president that could build a wall why would we be talking about this?
You didn’t…actually believe him when he said he wouldn’t make YOU pay for it right?
Great job!!…the wall should almost be complete by election day!! can’t wait for the campaign video touting this special achievement…
Trump promised Mexico would make a “one-time” payment for the wall.
4 years later, he’s forcing new taxes on us instead?!
Border patrol confirmed not a single inch has been built.
The people of calvary cemetery always vote democrat.
Thank you President Trump for representing Queens’ Values. You’ll always be from Queens and we’ll always be proud of you
Yeah the most diverse urban area in the world shares the values of a billionaire white guy that owns 9 golf clubs
He bought those things with money. Money he earned.
What kinda stuff do you rightfully own???
oh and SUPER concerned about the middle class
Only U.S. citizens should be allowed to Vote !! Or be counted !!
Anonymous- Not according to the US Constitution.
Democrats will do ANYTHING for a vote!
Johnny- Republican policies have turned America into Venezuela. Over 25 Million unemployed, oil industry collapse, weakened US Dollar, riots in the streets, food lines and a failed pandemic response where Americans are barred from Europe, Canada, Bahamas. You really know politics hahaha Not using illegal immigrants in appropriations will change nothing, watch and see.
Astoria lost its home town feel once the hipsters arrived. They can’t afford Manhattan, but want to make it Manhattan. Looks more like a ghetto now.
hey BP Lee and CM Dromm…they are counting them for the census but they will not be included in the re-districting process…finally someone enforcing the rule of law…cant pack illegals into the city to build up the NY delegation in Congress…your criminal conspiracy to water down the votes of legal Americans has failed…as has all of you other progressive policies…you will be remembered for the sell out …
He completely failed to get Mexico to make a “one-time payment” for The Wall. 0 progress made at all.
Deportations are WAY down compared to Obama, and his solution is just ignore it?
We need a president that can secure our borders.
deportations are way down due to the great job of the administration securing our border…now illegals cant depress our wages, flood our emergency rooms during a pandemic, overcrowd our schools and transportation system, and can’t extend their criminal gang networks….Great Job!!! looks like your 4 year contract will be extended another four years…
Agreed, Mexico never made a “one-time” payment; you fell for it ?
“Illegal” means exactly that.
I realise that’s a difficult concept for many liberals to grasp when it comes to ILLEGAL immigration. (Or for that matter, when it comes to rioting, looting and vandalism if it’s done to support their political agenda.)
0 progress on any border wall. You elected him, he did nothing–you don’t get to complain.
Schumer, Cuomo and all his cronies who give free medical care, free education, licenses to illegals and do everything possible to interfere with ICE and protect those who break the law.
How could they do that if Trump had stopped them from coming in? Are you still waiting on that “one-time payment” from Mexico? ?
We are still paying for everyone let in by Clinton, Obama, Chucky, Nancy and other sanctuary city/state democrats. Vote for Biden, illegals will vote you out of your own country. Biden campaign promised citizenship to 11 mil illegals to guarantee his and lefties reign forever.
Trump promised to “cancel all funding of sanctuary cities,” bigly sad! Now you’re blaming Bill Clinton? lol
There are more illegals in rural areas than the cities. This will change nothing.