U.S. Census Bureau proposes rule changes for 2030 Census

The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce have introduced proposed rule changes for the 2030 Census that could significantly impact congressional apportionment and data collection. Key proposals include redefining residence criteria to potentially exclude undocumented immigrants and certain non-citizens from the population count used to allocate the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Additionally, the administration has proposed prohibiting the collection of race and ethnicity information, as well as questions regarding sexual orientation, on the decennial questionnaire. Experts from civil rights and census advocacy groups warn that these modifications could lead to significant undercounts and reduced data accuracy.

Advocates note that such changes could affect the allocation of federal funding for public health, education, and transportation, while also impacting civil rights enforcement and emergency response. Concerns have been raised that questions regarding immigration status may deter mixed-status families from participating in the census, potentially undermining the constitutional mandate to count the “whole number of persons.”