Overview
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene formally introduced legislation requiring an immediate U.S. census that excludes non-citizens and mandates states to redraw congressional maps based solely on citizen population.
- President Trump publicly endorsed the bill, telling reporters he “loves it” as a measure to secure election integrity by counting only citizens.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis argued the 2020 census undercounted his state, saying a citizenship-only count would restore fair representation to Florida and shift seats away from states like California.
- Legal experts and critics cite the 14th Amendment’s decennial mandate to count the “whole number of persons,” noting courts have struck down past attempts to exclude non-citizens.
- Observers warn the off-cycle citizens-only census faces steep congressional obstacles and is likely to trigger prompt legal challenges in federal court.