NEW YORK, NY - Today, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Council Members, and civic engagement leaders held a press conference on National Census Day to push back against the Trump administration's efforts to include a citizenship question in the 2030 Census and to call for proactive investment and planning ahead of the next count.

The rally at the rotunda at City Hall highlighted the importance of an accurate Census count to ensure New York receives an appropriate share of federal funding and Congressional representation. It also brought attention to the Trump administration's latest plan to include a citizenship question in the testing phase of the 2030 Census, which, if inserted into the Census, would discourage participation from New York City's diverse communities and undermine efforts to count every New Yorker.

The rally was held on the same day that Speaker Menin and New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick expressing their strong opposition to the inclusion of the citizenship question in census field tests, a likely precursor to including them in the 2030 Census.

"The inclusion of a citizenship question in any Census efforts, which could discourage participation and engagement, is antithetical to federal law and to the goal of counting every person," said Speaker Julie Menin. "As the director of the NYC Census 2020, I was involved in the successful litigation that blocked the first Trump administration's attempt to include a citizenship question in the Census. As Council Speaker, I will pursue all options to protect our efforts to count every person living in our city, so our communities receive the representation and funding we deserve."

In 2019, Attorney General James successfully defeated the first Trump administration's attempts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census after a months-long legal battle that went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Our nation is home to vibrant, diverse communities, all of whom deserve to be counted in the Census," said New York Attorney General Letitia James. "We saw in 2020 what happens when the Trump administration tries to weaponize the Census: states sued, and we won. No one ceases to be a person because they lack documentation. My office will use every tool at its disposal to ensure everyone is counted in the coming Census, without intimidation or interference."

During this year's Census field tests in Huntsville, Alabama, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, the U.S. Census Bureau is planning to use the American Community Survey (ACS), which includes a citizenship question, rather than previous census forms. In his first term, the Trump administration attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, but the United States Supreme Court determined its inclusion violated federal law and blocked it.

Through the efforts of NYC Census 2020, which was led by Speaker Menin when she served as its Director, New York City saw the highest self-response rate when compared with other major cities. The City gained over 620,000 new residents, accounting for a majority of the state's population growth since 2010.

The Council has already taken steps towards ensuring New York City is prepared for the 2030 Census. Last November, the Council passed Local Law 9 of 2026, sponsored by Speaker Menin, which requires the Mayor to establish a temporary Office of the Census tasked with maximizing local participation in the federal census. At the Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the 2026 Executive Budget Proposal, Speaker Menin also called for a $40 million investment in the state budget for early Census preparation, as the Governor's Executive Budget only included $3 million.

"A complete and accurate Census count is critical to how resources are allocated and how communities are represented across our city," said Deputy Speaker Dr. Nantasha Williams. "At a time when proposals like a citizenship question risk discouraging participation, we have to be clear about what is at stake. New York's strength is in its diversity, and that includes communities whose work and contributions are not always fully captured in traditional data. As Chair of Cultural Affairs, I have seen how artists and cultural workers, many of whom navigate nontraditional or multiple forms of employment, can be overlooked in how we count and understand our workforce. If we are serious about equity and representation, our data must reflect the full reality of who makes up this city. That starts with ensuring every New Yorker feels counted and included in the Census process."

"New York City's fair share of federal funding depends on every single person being counted," said Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. "A citizenship question on the census is designed to do one thing: scare people out of participating. We will fight for a complete and accurate count, and I'm proud to stand with Speaker Menin to make sure every New Yorker is counted."

"The Census is about fairness and making sure our communities get the resources they deserve," said Majority Whip Kamillah Hanks. "Any effort that discourages participation puts that at risk. That's why I joined Speaker Menin, my Council colleagues, and advocates in calling for a complete and accurate count of every New Yorker."

"The Census is more than a population tally, it determines how we are represented, how resources are distributed, and how our communities are seen and supported for the next decade," said Deputy Leader Chris Banks. "From congressional representation to funding for schools, housing, and infrastructure, a complete and accurate count impacts nearly every aspect of our daily lives. That's why it is critical that every New Yorker is counted. An accurate Census ensures our communities are fairly represented and properly resourced for years to come. It affects who represents us, how federal and state dollars are allocated, and how our neighborhoods plan for the future. When people are left uncounted, entire communities are left behind and resources are strained, and we cannot let that happen."

"The Census is about more than numbers, it is about power, representation, and resources," said Deputy Leader Sandra Ung. "In a city as diverse and dynamic as New York, an accurate count is essential, but we know there are real concerns in our communities with the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2026 Census Pilot. That is why we need trusted voices to help spread the message and build confidence in the process. In largely immigrant communities like the one I represent in Flushing, an undercount would have lasting consequences for a decade and beyond in AAPI communities there. We need to meet people where they are, in their languages and with cultural understanding, so every New Yorker knows that they matter and that their participation matters. As Director of the NYC Census in 2020, Speaker Juile Menin helped lead a historic effort that secured strong participation rates across our city and protected billions in federal funding for New York City. Now in her new role and together with the City Council as a whole, I know that we will be proactively working to ensure that every New Yorker is counted."

"On National Census Day, we reaffirm our commitment to making sure every New Yorker is counted so our communities receive the resources they need to thrive," said Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Finance. "At a time when immigrant communities have been targeted by the federal government, and our city continues to grapple with the ongoing affordability crisis, it is critical that we secure every available dollar to support our residents. With billions in federal funding at stake, an accurate census is essential to ensuring every New Yorker is represented and that our city gets the resources it deserves."

"On National Census Day, we are reminded that a complete and accurate count is essential to ensuring our communities receive the representation, resources, and investments they deserve," said Council Member Kevin C. Riley. "Any effort that discourages participation, including the addition of a citizenship question, threatens to leave too many New Yorkers unseen and underserved. I stand with Speaker Menin and our partners in urging every New Yorker to be counted and to protect the integrity of this critical process."

"Historic undercounting in the United States Census has for decades cost our city representation, resources, and untold hundreds of millions in federal funding our communities depend on," said Deputy Whip Elsie Encarnacion, Chair of the Committee on Immigration. "Efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2030 Census threaten to deepen this undercount, silencing immigrant communities and denying neighborhoods like District 8 their fair share. We cannot allow fear and underinvestment to define our future when our communities are already being asked to do more even as we receive less. We must act now and begin investing early in outreach, trust-building, and community partnerships to ensure every New Yorker is fully counted, fully represented, and fully funded."

"The next 4 years of groundwork can spell the difference between delivering a full and fair 2030 census count of New Yorkers or instead cost New York the loss of more congressional seats and federal dollars our communities deserve," said Professor Jeffrey M. Wice, Director of New York Law School's N.Y. Elections, Census, & Redistricting Institute. "Fortunately, Speaker Menin successfully secured creation of a NYC census office that can laser focus on the many tasks vital to a full count. At the state level, funding to support census outreach is pending, We hope all parts of our New York community will partner to let New Yorkers know why they should stand up and be counted."

"We must develop a 2030 Census outreach plan that truly resonates with local residents who are reluctant to fill out their own decennial census questionnaire or the city and these hard-to-count neighborhoods will continue to be at risk of undercount and census data inaccuracies," said Steven Romalewski, Director of the CUNY Mapping Service at the CUNY Graduate Center for Urban Research.

"Participating in the census is an incredibly important civic duty," said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. "As one of the most trusted and democratic institutions in the borough, we are proud to work with Speaker Menin to prepare for this once-in-a-decade event, ensuring every New Yorker is counted and the information they submit is secured."

"For four decades, the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College has stood at the intersection of civic power and community accountability," said Lurie Daniel Favors, Esq., Executive Director, Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College. "As we embark on our fourth consecutive census cycle of education and outreach to New Yorkers of African descent, we are reminded that the census is not merely a count; it is a declaration of our presence, our power, and our right to resources. The census determines how billions of federal dollars flow into our communities, how our districts are drawn, and how our voices are heard in the halls of power. When our communities are undercounted, we receive fewer resources, diminished representation, and invisibility in policy decisions that shape our daily lives. We urge every New Yorker of African descent to make themselves known and to be counted: fully, accurately, and unapologetically."

"In New York City, Asian Americans speak more than 40 different languages and dialects and are the fastest growing racial group," said Elizabeth R. OuYang, Senior Advisor for MinKwon Center for Community Action and Convener for APA VOICE. "If the 2030 Census is available in English only, increased state and local funding for culturally sensitive and trusted APA community-based groups will be essential to ensure a complete count."

"The decennial census is an important event for the Hispanic community, and the 2030 Census will be defining for us," said Dr. Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Director of Public Policy at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. "To be ready for it we need to begin to prepare today to make sure that our numbers are captured and recorded accurately and faithfully by a federal government that must represent all of us. The Center for Puerto Rican Studies stands with New York City and its political, civic and social leaders in this effort. ¡Hágase contar!"

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