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US census 2020: Trump retreats on citizenship question | US census 2020: Trump retreats on citizenship question |
(about 1 hour later) | |
President Donald Trump will no longer pursue adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 US census questionnaire. | President Donald Trump will no longer pursue adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 US census questionnaire. |
Instead, he said he had directed officials to obtain the information through an executive order for government agencies, as court challenges would have delayed a census. | Instead, he said he had directed officials to obtain the information through an executive order for government agencies, as court challenges would have delayed a census. |
"We will leave no stone unturned," Mr Trump said. | "We will leave no stone unturned," Mr Trump said. |
The retreat follows a long fight over the inclusion of the question, which the Supreme Court had blocked in June. | The retreat follows a long fight over the inclusion of the question, which the Supreme Court had blocked in June. |
"We are not backing down on our effort to determine the citizenship status of the United States population," the US president said. | "We are not backing down on our effort to determine the citizenship status of the United States population," the US president said. |
The order will require government agencies to hand over documents regarding citizenship. | The order will require government agencies to hand over documents regarding citizenship. |
"As a result of today's executive order we will be able to ensure the 2020 census generates an accurate count of how many citizens, non-citizens and illegal aliens are in the United States of America," Mr Trump said at the White House. | "As a result of today's executive order we will be able to ensure the 2020 census generates an accurate count of how many citizens, non-citizens and illegal aliens are in the United States of America," Mr Trump said at the White House. |
What reason did the Trump administration give? | What reason did the Trump administration give? |
The decision to abandon the citizenship question was a "logistical impediment, not a legal one", said Attorney General William Barr, standing alongside President Trump. | The decision to abandon the citizenship question was a "logistical impediment, not a legal one", said Attorney General William Barr, standing alongside President Trump. |
He said there was "ample justification" for the administration to include the citizenship question. | He said there was "ample justification" for the administration to include the citizenship question. |
But referring to court injunctions, he said there was no way to "implement any new decision without jeopardizing our ability to carry out the census". | But referring to court injunctions, he said there was no way to "implement any new decision without jeopardizing our ability to carry out the census". |
Census questionnaires without the citizenship question are already being printed. | Census questionnaires without the citizenship question are already being printed. |
Mr Barr repeatedly congratulated Mr Trump on the executive order. | Mr Barr repeatedly congratulated Mr Trump on the executive order. |
How did the battle unfold? | How did the battle unfold? |
At the end of last month, the Supreme Court returned the case to the Census Bureau in a 5-4 ruling that noted the reason for including the question seemed "contrived". | At the end of last month, the Supreme Court returned the case to the Census Bureau in a 5-4 ruling that noted the reason for including the question seemed "contrived". |
Government lawyers indicated they had dropped the question and officials began printing the 2020 census without it. | Government lawyers indicated they had dropped the question and officials began printing the 2020 census without it. |
But Mr Trump then announced that he might consider an executive order to include the question or find other ways to move forward. | But Mr Trump then announced that he might consider an executive order to include the question or find other ways to move forward. |
Legal experts noted that an executive order could not override a Supreme Court ruling. | Legal experts noted that an executive order could not override a Supreme Court ruling. |
Never one to admit defeat | |
By Peter Bowes, BBC North America correspondent | |
In election year, a question about citizenship on the 2020 census form would have been hugely polarising. | |
For Donald Trump, whose stance on illegal immigration has defined his presidency, it would have been a major success. | |
But it is not to be. The hurdles proved too cumbersome and the administration acknowledged that outstanding lawsuits could delay the completion of the census. | |
But never one to admit defeat, Mr Trump framed his plan B as a "far more accurate" way to count the non-citizen population. Officials, he said, would "leave no stone unturned", in their quest to dig out citizenship information from existing data held by government departments. | |
That could be seen as an implied threat, but it means the census is likely to result in a more accurate count, with those living in the US illegally less afraid to make their presence known. | |
Census counts are used to determine the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives and the distribution of billions of dollars of funds in federal spending. | |
There had been concern that impoverished areas would lose out if a significant number of residents chose not to complete the form. | |
The citizenship question has not appeared on a US census for all Americans since 1950, though it has been put to some subsets of the population between 1970 and 2000. | The citizenship question has not appeared on a US census for all Americans since 1950, though it has been put to some subsets of the population between 1970 and 2000. |