Admin Proposes Counting Only Citizens, Excluding Some Immigrants in the Census

The Commerce Department proposed counting only citizens and permanent residents in the decennial census, excluding certain noncitizens, and trimming race/ethnicity questions, arguing fewer questions would boost participation and fairer representation; it would cross-check citizenship with federal records. Critics warn the changes could chill participation, distort representation and billions in federal funding, and depart from long-standing 1790 precedent.