Statement By U.S. Conference Of Mayors On Supreme Court's Ruling On Census Citizenship Question

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's ruling on the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census:

Mayor Steve Benjamin (Columbia SC), U.S. Conference of Mayors President
"The nation's mayors are greatly encouraged by the Supreme Court's decision today to block the citizenship question from being added to the 2020 Census, sending the case back to a lower court for further consideration.  Mayors—both Democrat and Republican—believe that such a question will jeopardize a full, fair and accurate count and undermine the very core of the constitutional mandate of the Census.

"It is hard to exaggerate the importance of a successful Census for municipalities across our nation. Every person counts and the Census should reflect this basic fact.  There is no doubt that the addition of a citizenship question will negatively impact local funding for essential services, including transit, housing, education and public safety, particularly for our most vulnerable communities. Moreover, it stands to dramatically reduce the apportioning of congressional seats and Electoral College votes.

"The nation's mayors are hopeful that upon further review, the lower court will reject the inclusion of a question regarding citizenship, ensuring that the 2020 Census reflects a true picture of cities both large and small." 

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (Atlanta, GA), Chair, USCM Census Task
"All deserve to be counted and I'm pleased with the Supreme Court's ruling. The fight is not over and we will continue to advocate for every single person to be counted in the Census."

Mayor Ron Nirenberg (San Antonio, TX), Vice Chair, USCM Census Task
"The Constitution clearly states that every person living in the United States should be counted in the Census regardless of citizenship status. We strongly encourage everyone to participate in the Census. It is important to our country and our community. The Census determines federal funding for programs in the City and representation in Congress and the Legislature."

Mayor Eric Garcetti (Los Angeles, CA), Chair, USCM Latino Alliance
"This is a hopeful day for our democracy. The Census is the largest civic exercise in our country — an opportunity to show that everyone belongs here and everybody counts. Instead, the administration tried to change who we are and write millions of people out of America's story. Fortunately, the Supreme Court stopped this cynical ploy in its tracks, removing a major roadblock to participation in next year's tally.

"Now, the hard work begins, and I look forward to kicking our efforts into high gear to ensure that hard-to-count populations — immigrant households, communities of color, low-income residents, and our most vulnerable neighbors — and all Angelenos are counted in the 2020 Census." 

About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors

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