Statement from Rick Glazier, Executive Director of NC Justice Center, on Supreme Court’s “encouraging” decision on census question

RALEIGH (June 27, 2019) – Today, the United States Supreme Court struck down the Trump Administration’s attempt to include a citizenship question on the United States 2020 Census, finding the rationale offered for its inclusion to be pretextual and a “distraction” – essentially, fake news.

It is encouraging the majority found what we’ve said all along when it comes to the 2020 census: the Trump administration’s rationale to add a citizenship question is deeply flawed, smacks of bigotry, and is motivated by partisan interest rather than any desire for real or useful data to inform policymaking and programs related to the demographic makeup of our country. The Court rightfully found an insufficient basis exists in the administrative record for its inclusion in the Census.