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The state of California is going after the Trump administration for adding a question about citizenship to the upcoming 2020 census, USA Today reports.
The word of California filing a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration came after the U.S. Commerce Department, which administers the once-a-decade count of every person in the country, announced that it would resurrect its abandoned practice of asking people their citizenship, according to the news organization.
The census, among other things, determines numbers of congressional representatives allocated each state as well as federal aid dollars.
According to USA Today, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the citizenship change was necessary to enforce the Voting Rights Act, a federal measure designed to protect voters of color.
Opponents to the move say it is unconstitutional and that it would compel immigrants to avoid giving out information to census workers. The lawsuit was filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
Advocates fear that when undocumented immigrants or people in immigrant families receive the census form, the citizenship question will stop them from returning it.
Senator Dianne Feinstein said: “Adding a question designed to depress participation in certain communities is an assault on the foundations of this country.”
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Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder reportedly said he would file suit to block the administration from resurrecting the question. New York State attorney general Eric Schneiderman also weighed in the battle, announcing he would head up a multistate lawsuit to stop the administration from adding the question.