On September 10, the Census Bureau proposed two changes to the 2030 Census: excluding undocumented residents and temporary visa holders from congressional apportionment counts, and removing race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation questions from the short form.

The Constitution requires apportionment based on "the whole number of persons," a 14th Amendment standard that makes no distinction based on immigration status. An undercount would mean fewer federal dollars for rural Southern communities already undercounted for decades, and less data to enforce the already gutted Voting Rights Act. Organizations and individuals are strongly encouraged to add their comments before the October 13 deadline. #2030Census #faircount #grassrootsorganizing #southernpartnersfund