2020 Census Marked by Multiple Legal Challenges Under Trump Administration, Newsom Notes

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently drew attention to the fact that Donald Trump was President during the last decennial U.S. Census, a period marked by significant legal and operational controversies. "Donald Trump was President during the last census," Newsom stated in the tweet, referencing the 2020 count. This period saw the Trump administration initiate several actions that drew widespread opposition and legal challenges from states and civil rights groups.

The 2020 Census, a constitutionally mandated count of every person residing in the United States, faced unprecedented challenges. Among the most prominent was the Trump administration's attempt to add a question regarding U.S. citizenship to the census questionnaire. This effort was ultimately blocked by the Supreme Court in June 2019, which ruled that the Commerce Department's stated rationale for the question was insufficient.

Further controversies arose with the administration's attempt to exclude undocumented immigrants from the population count used for congressional apportionment. This move, announced in July 2020, sought to upend more than 200 years of established precedent. Critics argued it would shift political power away from states with large immigrant populations and lead to an inaccurate representation in Congress.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration also sought to shorten the data collection period for the 2020 Census. This decision raised concerns among demographers and civil rights advocates about the accuracy and completeness of the population count, particularly in hard-to-reach communities. Legal battles ensued to extend the collection timeline to ensure a thorough count.

California, under Governor Newsom and then-Attorney General Xavier Becerra, played a prominent role in challenging these federal actions. The state filed lawsuits against the Trump administration regarding both the citizenship question and the attempt to shorten the data collection period. These legal efforts underscored the state's commitment to ensuring a complete and accurate census count, vital for fair political representation and federal funding allocation.