Washington D.C. – Newly-released internal documents from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals the Trump administration’s attempts to undermine the 2020 census. It adds to mounting evidence nationwide of white supremacists’ efforts to deny the growing political power of Black and brown communities. In states like Texas and Florida, anti-voter bills that disproportionately restrict Black and brown communities from exercising their right to vote are being signed into law and remain a threat to the very foundation of our democracy.
Juan Manuel Guzman, State Advocacy Director of United We Dream, said:
“The Trump administration’s attempts to cut the census short, manipulate census data, and exclude undocumented immigrants from being counted, were undemocratic and vindictive ploys to secure their own white supremacist agenda at all costs. These newly-revealed documents are only the latest glaring evidence of the lengths white supremacists will go to to suppress the voices and growing power of Black, brown, and immigrant communities. The Trump administration’s attack on the U.S. Census was far from a one-off incident.
In states like Florida, we are witnessing the continued attacks on our country’s democracy and intentional efforts to weaken the political power of Black and brown voters. Just last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis submitted a congressional map that would reduce the number of Black-majority districts in the state from four to two, removing Black districts in North Florida and Orlando. The redistricting efforts would also redraw five districts in order to reduce the Latinx voting-age population and make it harder for those voters to elect candidates that represent their needs and interests. The threat to our democracy at this moment cannot be overstated. Senate Democrats must pass federal legislation that secures citizen’s right to vote.”
