WASHINGTON — Following the release by the Census Bureau of 2020 census questions that includes the query “Is this person a citizen of the United States?,” the National JACL responded with its objection, stating that the “Constitution calls for the census to count all persons in the country, not just citizens.”
The JACL also noted that the move, taking place under the administration of President Trump, will “fail its constitutional duty to complete an accurate decennial count.”
In a statement, the JACL said: “Japanese Americans are fully aware of the implications of how the census data can be abused. During World War II, the Census Bureau released the specific names and addresses of Japanese Americans to the U.S. Secret Service.
“This was kept secret for decades and only fully revealed just over 10 years ago. We remind people of this story because it is clearly within the realm of possibility that the census can be weaponized against communities such as our own.”
The JACL concluded: “We urge Congress to act quickly to overturn this decision and block the addition of a citizenship question to the census.”
The entire JACL statement can be read here.
