Title
Resolution Opposing the Addition of a Citizenship Question to the 2020 Census
Body
Whereas, The Commerce Department has announced its intention to add a question concerning citizenship status to the 2020 Census;
Whereas, The addition of a citizenship question has not and will not be included in field tests that are used to validate the survey instrument;
Whereas, It is reasonable to anticipate that such a question will result in systematic undercounting of immigrants, creating serious sampling bias in the 2020 Census;
Whereas, A systematic undercounting of immigrants would also render overall population figures unreliable;
Whereas, Sampling bias in the 2020 Census will further undermine the validity of future research that uses data from the 2020 Census;
Whereas, The Census is a key source of data used in social science, health, and environment research; and
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor depends upon accurate, complete, and fully representative Census data as an important element in the development of public policy, including without limitation, in the areas of public safety, housing, and ward map creation;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council strongly condemns the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census for its effect of diminishing the reliability of Census data and research.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Warpehoski, Grand, Krapohl, Westphal and Mayor Taylor