The Commerce Department announced late last night that it would add a citizenship question to the upcoming census for the first time since 1950, but states aren't going to just sit by and watch federal resources and representation fly out the window.
California became the first state to challenge the decision in court last night which state Attorney General Xavier Becerra calls "illegal."
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla trashed the move as anti-immigrant.
"The citizenship question is the latest attempt by President Trump to stoke the fires of anti-immigrant hostility," Padilla said in a statement. "Now, in one fell swoop, the US Commerce Department has ignored its own protocols and years of preparation in a concerted effort to suppress a fair and accurate census count from our diverse communities. The administration's claim that it is simply seeking to protect voting rights is not only laughable, but contemptible."
Yes, as Becerra points out, the Trump regime is claiming they must add a citizenship question to protect minority voters.
There is literally no one in the world who sincerely believes that.
California is the first state the challenge the decision, but they won't be the last. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is also planning to lead a multi-state lawsuit against it and it would not necessarily be surprising if at least one or two Republican-controlled states join or file their own lawsuits.
I don't expect Texas under attorney general and indicted fraudster Ken Patxon will challenge it, but they should. Aside from California, Texas may have more to lose than any other state if undocumented people are not counted.
Republican state governments may hate immigrants, but if humans present in their state are not counted the whole state could suffer the economic consequences. Fewer humans means fewer federal resources, relief, tax breaks, education, representation, and everything in between.
They'll have to ask themselves if they hate immigrants more than they love the rest of their people. The answer could (probably) be yes. Racism is a hell of a drug.