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| US census 2020: Trump retreats on citizenship question | US census 2020: Trump retreats on citizenship question |
| (32 minutes 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 officials would obtain the information through an executive order for government agencies, as court challenges would have delayed a census. | Instead, he said officials would obtain the information through an executive order for government agencies, as court challenges would have delayed a census. |
| The retreat follows a long fight over the inclusion of the question, which the Supreme Court blocked in June. | The retreat follows a long fight over the inclusion of the question, which the Supreme Court blocked in June. |
| Critics called the question politically motivated and said it would lead to fewer immigrant households taking part. | Critics called the question politically motivated and said it would lead to fewer immigrant households taking part. |
| The administration however had argued the question would bolster protections for minority voters. | The administration however had argued the question would bolster protections for minority voters. |
| On Thursday, Mr Trump said: "We are not backing down on our effort to determine the citizenship status of the United States population." | On Thursday, Mr Trump said: "We are not backing down on our effort to determine the citizenship status of the United States population." |
| "We will leave no stone unturned." | "We will leave no stone unturned." |
| How will the government get citizenship data? | How will the government get citizenship data? |
| Mr Trump says his executive order will require government agencies to hand over documents regarding citizenship. | Mr Trump says his executive 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. |
| Kristen Clarke, president of the National Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told the BBC she had concerns about Mr Trump's plans. | Kristen Clarke, president of the National Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told the BBC she had concerns about Mr Trump's plans. |
| "This is essentially an attempt to compile data on a mass scale in a way that is unprecedented," she said. | "This is essentially an attempt to compile data on a mass scale in a way that is unprecedented," she said. |
| "We don't know how long it will take for them to pull this data together, we don't know what they will do with that data." | "We don't know how long it will take for them to pull this data together, we don't know what they will do with that data." |
| What reason did the Trump administration give? | What reason did the Trump administration give? |
| The Supreme Court temporarily blocked the citizenship question in June, saying that the government's reason for including the question seemed "contrived", and it had not provided adequate justification for it. | The Supreme Court temporarily blocked the citizenship question in June, saying that the government's reason for including the question seemed "contrived", and it had not provided adequate justification for it. |
| It left open the possibility that the government could provide new legal arguments for the question to a lower court - however, this would have delayed the census. | It left open the possibility that the government could provide new legal arguments for the question to a lower court - however, this would have delayed the census. |
| The government began printing the 2020 census last week without the question - but Mr Trump then created confusion when he announced that he would do "whatever is necessary", including potentially an executive order, to include the question in the census. | The government began printing the 2020 census last week without the question - but Mr Trump then created confusion when he announced that he would do "whatever is necessary", including potentially an executive order, to include the question in the census. |
| Legal experts however noted that an executive order could not override a Supreme Court ruling. | Legal experts however noted that an executive order could not override a Supreme Court ruling. |
| On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr said the decision to abandon the citizenship question was a "logistical impediment, not a legal one". | On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr said the decision to abandon the citizenship question was a "logistical impediment, not a legal one". |
| 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". |
| Mr Barr repeatedly congratulated Mr Trump on the executive order to gather the data separately. | Mr Barr repeatedly congratulated Mr Trump on the executive order to gather the data separately. |
| Why is the citizenship question so controversial? | Why is the citizenship question so controversial? |
| The question - "Is this person a citizen of the United States?" - has not appeared on a US census for all Americans since 1950, though it has been asked to some subsets of the population between 1970 and 2000. | The question - "Is this person a citizen of the United States?" - has not appeared on a US census for all Americans since 1950, though it has been asked to some subsets of the population between 1970 and 2000. |
| The government said the question would help the government allocate resources and enforce voter laws designed to prevent discrimination. | The government said the question would help the government allocate resources and enforce voter laws designed to prevent discrimination. |
| However, Democratic states with large immigrant populations argue a citizenship question will produce undercounts because fewer people will participate if they fear the information could be used against them. | |
| They argue that states with high non-citizen populations would lose congressional seats and funding - even though many non-citizens pay taxes and use government services. | |
| In a 2018 report, Census Bureau researchers found that the inclusion of a citizenship question could suppress response rates in households with immigrants and minority groups. | In a 2018 report, Census Bureau researchers found that the inclusion of a citizenship question could suppress response rates in households with immigrants and minority groups. |
| The census is mandated under the US constitution and takes place every 10 years, counting every resident. | The census is mandated under the US constitution and takes place every 10 years, counting every resident. |
| Never one to admit defeat | Never one to admit defeat |
| By Peter Bowes, BBC North America correspondent | By Peter Bowes, BBC North America correspondent |
| In election year, a question about citizenship on the 2020 census form would have been hugely polarising. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | There had been concern that impoverished areas would lose out if a significant number of residents chose not to complete the form. |