Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Utah, sparks heated debate over including noncitizens in the census, tying the issue to President Biden’s handling of the border crisis.
As reported by Yahoo! News on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Burgess argues that counting noncitizens skews representation and resources away from American citizens, particularly in areas with large noncitizen populations.
Supporters of Burgess’s viewpoint emphasize the need for an accurate count of American citizens to ensure fair representation and allocation of resources. They raise concerns about misrepresentation in demographic data.
More Read
Critics argue that the census should count all residents, regardless of citizenship status, citing the Constitution’s mandate to count all “persons.” They highlight the contributions of noncitizens to the economy and communities.
Critics also question the linkage of the census issue with the border crisis, viewing it as politically motivated and aimed at stirring immigration fears.
The ongoing debate underscores the complexities of immigration policies, census methodologies, and their impact on political representation and resource allocation.
