Last night, Judge Koh, a federal judge for the Northern District of California, ordered the Trump Administration to abandon their last-minute attempts to end the 2020 Census on September 30th. This decision requires the census count to continue until October 31 and bars the Census Bureau from handing over the population report to the White House on December 31. The Judge found evidence showing that Census Bureau officials believe ending the headcount early would seriously threaten the 2020 Census’s accuracy. The Trump Administration filed an appeal earlier this afternoon.
“This is a huge win for our community. This extension bought us 36 days to make sure that our immigrant populations and historically underserved communities are counted in the 2020 Census,” said Eva A. Millona, MIRA Coalition President and CEO and Chair of the Statewide Complete Count Committee. “We hope that the count continues until the end of October; however, with this Administration and the appeal, uncertainties remain. MIRA along with community partners will continue full steam ahead.”
“This Census is the toughest in our lifetimes between COVID-19, a toxic political climate, grossly inadequate funding, and the many uncertainties. And, it is an extremely sad fact that we have to turn to the courts to fulfill responsibilities under the Constitution. We must count everyone in Massachusetts as soon as possible. Our families and communities need an accurate count–for resources and representation for the next ten years. Everyone counts!”