The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and allies filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Commerce Department in New York on Wednesday over the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
Immigrants’ rights groups charge in the federal lawsuit that a recent announcement to include a citizenship question in the survey for the first time since 1950 is rooted in discrimination, the Associated Press reported.
The ACLU claims in its lawsuit that intentional discrimination against immigrants represented by the question will increase fear in communities, and if census participation drops these communities could see a loss of economic power and political representation.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the plan to include the citizenship question in March, saying the question was needed in part to help the government enforce the Voting Rights Act, a 1965 law meant to protect political representation of minority groups.
Since then several lawsuits have been filed against the move, including one brought by 17 state attorneys general.
