Norton Reintroduces Bill to Prohibit Questions on Citizenship, Nationality, and Immigration Status on the Census

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a bill today that would prohibit questions on the decennial census related to citizenship, nationality, and immigration status.

"The decennial census determines issues such as congressional apportionment and distribution of federal funding to over 350 programs, and questions about one's status can lead to less accurate data," Norton said. "We owe it to all our constituents that these unnecessary and harmful questions never be allowed."

The American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, already includes a question on citizenship.

Norton' introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Ensuring Full Participation in the Census Act of 2026

March 24, 2026

Today, I introduce the Ensuring Full Participation in the Census Act of 2026, which would prohibit the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) from including questions on the decennial census about citizenship, nationality or immigration status.

Prior to the 2020 census, the Department of Justice wrote to the Bureau requesting that it "reinstate on the 2020 census questionnaire a question regarding citizenship." From 1970 to 2000, this question was sent to approximately 16 percent of the population in the decennial census through the so-called "longform." However, the longform was dropped from the census and replaced with the current American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is sent to approximately three million people annually, which allows the Bureau to get the necessary information on citizenship. Asking questions about citizenship status to every person in the decennial census has not been done in almost 70 years because it would discourage people, largely minorities, who are already undercounted in the census, from participating in the census. The ACS was created to make the decennial census simpler for people to complete, which facilitates higher participation rates and preserves privacy.

Fortunately, after a protracted legal and political process, the citizenship question was not included on the 2020 census. However, this bill is necessary to ensure it cannot be asked on a future decennial census. The representative sample provided by the ACS is more than sufficient to determine citizenship statistics in the U.S. All individuals must be counted in the decennial census to ensure an accurate allocation of federal funds and representation in Congress.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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