SIGN UP - IT'S FREE!

Not a member? Sign-up

Forgot your password?

SEARCH FSM

FSM Archive                Search Must Reads


PetSmart

1-800-PetMeds

TigerDirect

HOME > PUBLICATIONS > Exclusive: Should Illegal Aliens be Excluded from the Census Count?

  • IN THIS SECTION

Five Sept. 11 Suspects to Face Trial in New York

The Obama administration has announced it will try 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 9-11 Gitmo detainees in a civilian federal court in New York, allowing them the protections of the U.S. Constitution even though they are not U.S. citizens.

Do you agree with this?






View results



Four Radical Chinese Muslims Transferred to Bermuda

Four Chinese Uighers (radical Chinese Muslims) were recently transferred to Bermuda. Do you think it's a good idea to release Gitmo detainees to idyllic vacation retreats?






View results


October 15, 2009

Exclusive: Should Illegal Aliens be Excluded from the Census Count?

The Editors

As citizens of the United States, it behooves all of us to remain informed on the critical issues of the day. Regardless of one’s views on these issues, having all the information at hand is crucial if we are to engage in informed debate and make responsible decisions, both at the voting booth and within the halls of government.
 
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has introduced a bill which, if passed, would direct the Census Bureau to exclude illegal aliens from being included for Congressional apportionment purposes (which also has an impact on the Electoral College count). It does so after directing the Census Bureau to inquire of citizenship/legal presence status on their short form (along with race, age, and sex, as is currently asked).
 
Called the Fairness in Representation Act (HR 3797), it will accomplish, according to Rep. Foxx:
 
The Census Bureau should inquire on its short form the citizenship or legal presence status of its respondents and use that information to ensure illegal aliens are not counted for purposes of Congressional apportionment. It’s fair, sensible, easy to do, and would help ensure some states don’t receive fewer Congressional representatives due to other states’ illegal alien population. My bill directs the Census Bureau to inquire of citizenship or legal presence status and use that information for ensuring the fairness and accuracy of Congressional apportionment.
 
With the ongoing discussion over immigration reform, many Americans might assume that the Census Bureau is counting the number of citizens and those legally present in their decennial count. Unfortunately, that assumption is wrong. Despite the potential such useful data would hold in informing the public and lawmakers on various policy proposals affecting issues such as program funding, reforming immigration laws, and Congressional apportionment, the Census Bureau refuses to inquire of, or officially distinguish their count by, citizenship or legal presence status.
 
Furthermore, due to the wording used during the drafting of the 14th amendment, the Census Bureau has determined that the figures they use for allocating Congressional seats among the states shall include illegal aliens. This is based on their interpretation of the word “persons”, which is a term used by the drafters to include newly freed slaves during a time when illegal immigration wasn’t an issue. However, that interpretation has no founding in case law.
 
My commonsense proposal would simply direct the Census Bureau to inquire of citizenship or legal presence status on its decennial short form that already asks recipients’ race, age, and sex and to use that information for apportioning Congressional districts. 
 
If you have questions or concerns about any aspect of this bill, positive or negative, be sure to contact your representative.
 
Brought to you by the editors and research staff of FamilySecurityMatters.org.

Reader Comments: Submit Your Comment (0)

Print This
Share It: 
Submit to: Digg Submit to: Del.icio.us Submit to: Facebook Submit to: StumbleUpon Submit to: Newsvine Submit to: Reddit