Civil rights and census advocates applauded a Jan. 15 decision by a federal judge that blocked the Trump Administration from including a question about citizenship status on the 2020 Census. The judge ruled that by adding the question to the decennial count, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had violated the Administrative Procedures Act in ignoring harmful implications for Hispanic and noncitizen households. The ruling is expected to be appealed.

In a statement, Vanita Gupta, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund, said, “Today’s decision vindicates what we know: the addition of the citizenship question was based, in Judge Furman’s own words, on ‘acts and statements of officials with something to hide’ and should be removed…. Congress must now step in to remove the question and lift any cloud of uncertainty that will hang over final census preparations if the issue remains tied up in the courts.”

In addition to the case ruled on last week, the Administration is fighting five more lawsuits across the country filed by dozens of states, cities and other groups that want the question removed. A second trial over the question began earlier this month in California, and another is scheduled to begin in Maryland on Jan. 22.

For more information on the importance of a fair and accurate 2020 Census, see CHN’s Census page, and register for a webinar on Jan. 23 at 3pm ET held by CHN and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

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