WASHINGTON — A coalition of Black, Latino and Asian lawmakers has expressed opposition to a proposal that would require next year’s census forms to ask about the status of a person’s citizenship.
The House lawmakers criticized a proposal by Sens. David Vitter, R-La., and Bob Bennett, R-Utah, as a political ploy designed to discourage immigrants from participating in the high-stakes count, which begins April 1.
They also echoed warnings from the Census Bureau that making a last-minute change to the census would add burdensome costs to print new forms and prevent the head count from being completed on time, as legally required.
“Every census since 1790 has included citizens and noncitizens alike, and presidential administrations of both parties have repeatedly upheld counting all persons residing in the United States,” Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said at a news briefing last week.
