What’s the Goal of a Mid-Decade Census? Unpacking the Political Motive Behind Trump's 2025 Directive
With recent headlines surrounding former President Donald Trump’s 2025 directive to conduct a new census that excludes undocumented immigrants, many are asking: What’s the actual goal here? While the legal authority for such a census is dubious at best, the political objective appears far more calculated: to reshape congressional power by altering the population data used for apportionment. Understanding the Constitutional Framework The U.S. Constitution is clear in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 : "The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct." This clause places the responsibility for conducting the census in the hands of Congress , not the President. It also establishes the decennial (10-year) schedule , which determines representation and federal funding. What Title 13 of the U.S. Code Says Congress reinforced ...