By: Jane Perkins
Executive Summary
A broad array of civil and human rights groups filed an amicus brief in San Jose and Black Alliance For Just Immigration v. Ross, in support of the litigation challenging the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to add a “citizenship” question to the 2020 census. The brief led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Muslim Advocates, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, the Brennan Center for Justice, and NALEO Educational Fund, details how adding Trump’s “citizenship” question will harm cities like San Jose and public interest advocacy organizations, such as Black Alliance For Just Immigration.
The groups state in their brief, for example, that because of the Trump administration’s hostility to undocumented persons and their families they will inevitably refuse to answer the Census and result in being undercounted. “It is not speculation that the undercount of the communities we represent will result in a loss of federal funding for San Jose and other jurisdictions in California, depriving them of access to federal programs upon which they rely.” National Health Law Program was among the many grassroots, health care, labor and educational organizations that also signed the amicus brief.
