The Hinckley Institute Radio Hour — This week on the program, we air a forum on Utah’s changing demographics and the upcoming 2020 census with Mallory Bateman, State Data Center Coordinator at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
The 2020 census has taken on a new political aspect this year, with the potential inclusion of a citizenship question put forward by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
Last week, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, rejected the inclusion of the question on the basis that the Justice Department’s enforcement of the Voting Rights Act was not the primary reason behind the decision, as the administration had argued. In the ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, “The evidence tells a story that does not match the explanation (Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross) gave for his decision. The sole stated reason seems to have been contrived.”
In response, President Trump suggested delaying the census, tweeting, “I have asked the lawyers if they can delay the Census, no matter how long.” However, days later, the Justice Department confirmed that the census printing process would begin without the citizenship question.
Mallory Bateman explains the issues surrounding the citizenship question as well as what the census means for Utah after experiencing unprecedented population growth and demographic shifts in the last decade. She also discusses why these changes make the 2020 census a critical piece of data for the state as it looks to address questions of city planning, federal funding, representation, and the shaping of policies to address specific demographics.
This talk was recorded on April 22th, 2019.
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