How Adding a Citizenship Question in the Next U.S. Census Could Change the Make-Up of Congress

Brian Beihl

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 10, 2025

You may have filled out a  U.S. Census questionnaire which promised to keep your individual data private.  There’s concern the Trump administration or Congress may add a question about your citizenship in the 2030 Census.  Would you answer it? 

Since 1790 the U.S. has counted the QUOTE “whole number of free persons,” not just citizens. The Census has always promised anonymity to respondents to get accurate answers, and that data informs important decisions on everything from road construction to education policy to voting districts.  

The first Trump administration tried to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, but it was struck down by the Supreme Court.  Trump later issued an executive order entitled, “Executive Order on Collecting Information about Citizenship Status in Connection with the Decennial Census,” a precursor to possibly not counting the whole population, but just citizens.  The Biden administration rescinded it, but Trump rolled back Biden’s order in January 2025. 

Citizenship question proposed by the first Trump administration for the 2020 U.S. Census. The question was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

 IF a citizenship question were added to the 2030 Census, an academic study released in March found it would likely depress response to the questionnaire, leading to undercounts of Hispanics and overcounts of the White population, a likelihood not lost on partisan strategists.


Add in Trump’s recent orders allowing the sharing of personal information from federal agencies with DOGE, ICE, and state agencies, the effect on the Census could impact policies – and Congressional voting districts – for years to come. 

We have the study linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

National Archives – (2019) Trump Executive Order on Collecting Information about Citizenship Status in Connection with the Decennial Census
NPR – (2020) Citizenship Question May Be ‘Major Barrier’ To 2020 Census Participation
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management – Citizenship question effects on household survey response
Jowei Chen and Nicholas O. Stephanopoulos  – Democracy’s Denominator: What would happen if states stopped equalizing districts’ total populations and started equalizing their citizen voting-age
populations (CVAPs) instead?
Federal Register – Biden Executive Order:  Ensuring a Lawful and Accurate Enumeration and Apportionment Pursuant to the Decennial Census
Common Cause – Explainer: Trump’s Executive Order Rolling Back Census Protections
Votebeat – Trump’s quick executive actions could redefine who counts in our democracy
U.S. Congress – H.R.151 – Equal Representation Act proposing citizenship question in the U.S. Census, and excluding noncitizens from being counted

Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause, Campaign Legal Center

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #USCensus #TrumpExecutiveOrders #CitizenshipQuestion