|
The Census Bureau is proposing to add two new parts to the Code of Federal Regulations governing the decennial census of population and housing outlined the following federal register notice: Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions.
First, the Census Bureau is proposing to add a part outlining the residence criteria used for identifying each person's “usual residence,” as needed to determine whether and where to count them in the census of the population throughout the United States. Furthermore, the notice states that the Census Bureau “proposes to include lawful permanent residents within the apportionment base, while excluding from the apportionment base illegal aliens and aliens whose legal status is less durable and indefinite in length than lawful permanent resident status.” Only including U.S. citizens and individuals who are lawful permanent residents could affect population counts for Congressional representation and result in a loss of federal dollars to the state and local communities. The Census Bureau could, in addition, include a question about an individual’s legal status on the short-form decennial census questionnaire. These are major changes compared to the recent censuses that count people at the location where they live and sleep most of the time, regardless of immigration status.
Second, the Census Bureau is proposing to establish standards and restrictions for the inclusion of certain demographic questions on the decennial census and any other questionnaire used for the enumeration of the population. For example, recent decennial censuses have asked questions about race and ethnicity; however, the proposed changes would prohibit the inclusion of questions about race and ethnicity for purposes of enumeration. This could affect public health and health disparities monitoring, business market analyses, economic development decisions, school planning, public outreach campaigns, and workforce assessments.
These proposed changes are significant and represent a notable change in recent decennial censuses. You are encouraged to learn more about the reasons behind the proposed rules and determine how this could affect enumeration in your community and their implications for your work. This is a good resource for submitting public comments on federal regulations: Regulations.gov
The deadline for public comment regarding the proposed rule on the Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions is November 2, 2026.
| 
