Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez (D-32) says that President Donald Trump (R) wants to “instill fear in the Latino Community and throw off the Census count” following his announcement that undocumented immigrants will not be counted for congressional apportionment.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The United States Constitution requires a full count of all people living in America, not just those the President believes belong here. The notion to exclude undocumented individuals is preposterous and a xenophobic effort to sideline, again, a culture and community whose significant growth and contributions has helped to redefine this nation,” Jimenez said in a statement.
“This is another attempt to instill fear in the Latino Community and throw off the Census count. First, the citizen question, now this. Without the question, how is possible to know the status of person’s citizenship?”
Earlier today, Trump directed the U.S. Census Bureau not to count “aliens” who enter the country illegally when redrawing voter districts that will determine how many seats in the House each state will have for the next decade.
“My Administration will not support giving congressional representation to aliens who enter or remain in the country unlawfully,” the president said in a statement.
The American Civil Liberties Union, among other civic engagement groups, have already vowed to take the matter to court.
“Continue to encourage family and friends to fill out the census without fear. We need to concentrate on getting a full, complete count more than ever now,” Jimenez continued.
“Fair and just representation is at risk if we do not count everyone and use that full count of all individuals in America to determine how much our communities receive for schools, housing, public safety programs, etc. If we do not count everyone, we lose access to the fair representation on both state and federal levels.”
Last week during an appearance in Hoboken, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) also accused Trump of being xenophobic for a proposed deportation plan for international students enrolled in online only classes this fall.
The plan has since been scrapped.
