WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In a move that could impact Congressional representation and federal funding, the Commerce Department announced Monday that a question on citizenship status will be reinstated to the 2020 census questionnaire.
The Commerce Department claimed adding the citizenship question will help enforce the Voting Rights Act, although critics have argued the decision is politically motivated.
Data collected in the census is used to determine how congressional districts are drawn, funding for federal programs and other matters.
Critics contend the addition of the citizenship question would dissuade undocumented immigrants from responding to the census, which counts the entire population and not just citizens.
The Commerce Department said Secretary Wilbur Ross's decision to reinstate the question follows a request by the Justice Department.
Ross determined that obtaining complete and accurate information outweighed the limited potential adverse impacts, the Commerce Department said.
The decision by the Commerce Department drew swift condemnation from opponents, including California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
Becerra filed a lawsuit challenging the move, saying, 'Including the question is not just a bad idea - it is illegal.'
In an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle, Becerra and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla accused President Donald Trump's administration of attempting to hijack the census for political purposes.
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