Trump administration proposes dropping race and ethnicity question from next census
The Trump administration is seeking to eliminate the race and ethnicity question from the upcoming U.S. census, a practice that has been part of the count since 1790.
Officials in the Trump administration have announced a plan to stop asking respondents about race and ethnicity on the next decennial census. The article notes that the census has collected such data since the first count in 1790, originally to exclude people of color and later to support inclusion efforts. Critics argue the change could affect civil-rights enforcement and federal funding allocations. The proposal reflects a broader shift in how demographic data are gathered by the government.
Why it matters
Census race data shape voting districts, civil-rights enforcement, and billions in federal funding.
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