The Trump administration is proposing eliminating questions about race and ethnicity in the 2030 census and restricting how immigrants would be counted when census results are used for allotting congressional seats

The Trump administration has proposed substantial changes to the upcoming 2030 U.S. census. One key proposal is to stop counting immigrants who do not possess permanent residency status when determining state representation in Congress and the distribution of federal funds. This move could potentially exclude millions of residents from the census count, leading to a reallocation of federal resources across states and a reshaping of congressional representation.

Another significant change proposed is the elimination of questions related to race and ethnicity from the census questionnaire. These questions have been a standard part of the census since its inception in 1790. The administration cited "substantial doubts about the meaning, significance, and impact" of such categories and questioned their ongoing "usefulness" as reasons for this proposed change. Additionally, the administration is considering asking about each respondent's citizenship, a departure from past practices that could discourage participation among immigrant communities.

The proposal opens a 30-day public comment period before the 2030 full census is conducted. These changes could have far-reaching implications for various states, potentially altering the demographic data used for policy-making and resource allocation for the next decade.