Democracy has won. [The Trump Administration’s announcement that 2020 Census forms will be printed without a citizenship question] is a victory for everyone who has taken a stand against the Trump Administration’s attacks on our values and our democratic institutions. Let’s not forget that the inclusion of a citizenship question was not driven by any lawful justification– the Supreme Court made that abundantly clear– but instead, by a discriminatory agenda from Trump advisors Steven Bannon and Kris Kobach that was based on demonizing immigrants and trying to blunt the political, social and economic impact of changing demographics across America.
While we’ve beaten back this latest attack on our diverse communities, we still have our work cut out to achieve a complete census count. The Trump Administration’s tone and actions have created a deep mistrust of government, especially by immigrant communities. Trump would like nothing more than for Californians to sit out the 2020 Census.
It is going to take grassroots work by trusted local leaders and community organizations to ensure full participation in the 2020 Census. We need every Californian to stand up and be counted.
