Census Proposal Would Restrict Counting of Undocumented Immigrants and Data on Race, Sexual Orientation
A draft rule reviewed by WIRED outlines a proposal that would significantly alter how the United States Census Bureau collects and reports demographic data. The proposal would prevent the counting of undocumented immigrants in census tallies. Additionally, the draft rule would bar questions about race and sexual orientation from census surveys, citing the need to protect against data "distortions."
The Census Bureau's decennial count serves as the foundation for congressional apportionment, federal funding distribution, and various demographic research efforts. Changes to who is counted and what demographic information is collected could have wide-ranging implications for political representation and public policy planning.
The proposal represents a shift in how the federal government approaches demographic data collection, potentially affecting the accuracy and comprehensiveness of population counts used for critical governmental functions.