Pres. Trump signs memorandum excluding undocumented immigrants from census reapportionment

DELMARVA – The U.S. Census calls for everyone to get counted, but President Donald Trump is now instructing the U.S. Census Bureau to not count undocumented immigrants for purposes of deciding how many members of Congress are apportioned to each state.

President Trump said Tuesday respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process warrant the exclusion of illegal aliens.

Members of the American Civil Liberties Union are speaking out.

They tell 47ABC states will draw legislative districts depending on what the population is and if they don’t get an accurate count there won’t be elective officials there to fairly represent the real number of people who live in that district.

“So, an undercount really means that we’re giving up some of our political power and that you’re not having legislators fairly represent the real number of people who live in that district,” said the ACLU of Delaware Executive Director Mike Brickner.

Maryland Congressman Andy Harris responded to President Trump’s decision.

He says, “I agree with the President that people who are in this country illegally should not be counted for Congressional representation.”

“Counting them gives an unfair advantage to states like California or counties like Montgomery County that openly disobey federal immigration law. In fact, it gives them incentives to do so.”