FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Alexa Lamanna
alamanna@westendstrategy.com; 202-320-2766
WASHINGTON – Faith in Action, the largest faith-based grassroots network, called the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2020 Census a deliberate attack on immigrant communities across the country, as it would effectively strip congressional seats, electoral votes and federal grants from immigrant-rich states. Following the U.S. Supreme Court hearing today, leaders with Faith in Action pledged to continue pushing for immigrant justice and protections for all migrants.
Risa Brown, national data and targeting director for Faith in Action, said:
“The president’s attempt to exclude undocumented immigrants from the ‘persons’ the Constitution requires to be counted is yet another deliberate, discriminatory attack on immigrants and immigrant communities, particularly communities of color. All three of the lower courts to consider this issue have concluded that federal law and the Constitution require the census to count every single person – regardless of citizenship status. We believe in the fullness and personhood of everyone. By not counting undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Census, groups who are historically undercounted will be denied access to crucial public funding and representation in Congress.”
Richard Morales, policy and program director for Faith in Action’s immigration campaign LA RED, said:
“In the history of the United States, there has never been a census that excludes any inhabitants of this country, especially immigrant communities who contribute so much to the United States. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, undocumented immigrants have kept this country afloat as frontline workers, risking their lives while helping to sustain the economy amid unprecedented challenges. This is all while being excluded from crucial government assistance during the pandemic, including the federal stimulus check. That the Trump Administration would attempt to bar these communities from the census is unconscionable, and threatens the necessary funding and services directed toward communities who need it most.”
Nanci Palacios, deputy director for Faith in Florida and DACA recipient, said:
“This claim is yet another attempt by the Trump Administration to use the census as a tool against groups of individuals it does not think should be counted. As a DACA recipient, I know just how much undocumented immigrants work to better this country. Undocumented immigrant communities across the country deserve to be counted. We deserve to be seen. We deserve equal political representation and federal funding to support our communities, just as we support the United States.”
If you would like to be connected with any Faith in Action or LA RED leaders, please contact Alexa Lamanna at alamanna@westendstrategy.com or 202-320-2766.
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