East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch, and Bill Hagerty have introduced legislation to ensure that the census accurately counts only legal citizens for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map. The proposed legislation aims to address the current method of counting illegal immigrants, which is seen as a perverse incentive for open borders and a boost to the political power of states and municipalities that attract or incentivize illegal migrants.

Senator Crapo highlights that "playing an active role in our nation's democratic process is a benefit of U.S. citizenship." He supports the Equal Representation Act, which seeks to guarantee that the Electoral College is apportioned accurately based on the number of American citizens in each state.

Senator Risch raises concerns about the exploitation of the rights of U.S. citizens by Democrats who encourage illegal immigrants to enter the country and travel to sanctuary cities in order to skew congressional redistricting for political gain. He emphasizes that it is essential to include a citizenship question on the census to prioritize the voices of American citizens and keep American values on track.

Senator Hagerty expresses his concern regarding the current situation where illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted for Congressional district apportionment and the electoral map. He believes that this practice is unconscionable and dilutes the power of American citizens' votes. He introduces the legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and ensure that only citizens are counted in Congressional redistricting.

The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation has been criticized for its impact on states like California, where millions of illegal alien residents result in the state having several more congressional seats and Electoral College votes than its population of citizens would justify. This creates a perverse incentive that encourages illegal immigration and resettlement to increase political power.

The proposed legislation has several key provisions. It would require the Census Bureau to include a citizenship question on any future census to distinguish between citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes. It would also prohibit non-citizens from being counted for congressional district and Electoral College apportionment. Additionally, the legislation would mandate the Census Bureau to publicly report on certain demographic data.

Several other senators have joined Senators Crapo, Risch, and Hagerty in cosponsoring the legislation. This includes Senators Marsha Blackburn, Katie Britt, Ted Budd, Bill Cassidy, Kevin Cramer, James Lankford, Mike Lee, Cynthia Lummis, Pete Ricketts, Mike Rounds, Eric Schmitt, and Tommy Tuberville.

The introduction of this legislation reflects the ongoing debate and concerns about the impact of counting illegal immigrants on representation and political power in the United States. The proposed changes aim to ensure that the census accurately reflects the number of American citizens and prioritizes their voices in the democratic process.