Trump orders voting districts to exclude people in US illegally

US census experts and lawyers say the action is legally dubious, and not easily executed in practice.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Tuesday that would prevent migrants who are in the United States illegally from being counted when US congressional voting districts are next redrawn, triggering swift rebukes from Democrats and threats of litigation.

US census experts and lawyers say the action is legally dubious, and not easily executed in practice. Democratic-led states, including New York, and civil rights groups have already vowed to mount a legal challenge or said they are considering it.

If enacted, the plan could benefit Trump’s Republican Party by eliminating the largely non-white population of migrants in the United States illegally, creating voting districts that skew more Caucasian.

It could also cause populous states with large immigrant contingents to lose seats in the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives, including big left-leaning states like California – currently with 53 seats – and New York, with 27.

The process of drawing voting maps for federal congressional districts is known as apportionment.

“Including these illegal aliens in the population of the state for the purpose of apportionment could result in the allocation of two or three more congressional seats than would otherwise be allocated,” the memo said.

Redistricting, in which voting districts are redrawn to reflect changes in the population, is next slated for 2021, after the results of the 2020 U.S. census are in.

Each state will be given a share of the 435 congressional seats based on population. Historically, the distribution of seats has been based on total population, regardless of immigration status. Trump’s memo would exclude those not in the U.S. legally.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Tuesday that would prevent migrants who are in the United States illegally from being counted when US congressional voting districts are next redrawn, triggering swift rebukes from Democrats and threats of litigation.

US census experts and lawyers say the action is legally dubious, and not easily executed in practice. Democratic-led states, including New York, and civil rights groups have already vowed to mount a legal challenge or said they are considering it.

If enacted, the plan could benefit Trump’s Republican Party by eliminating the largely non-white population of migrants in the United States illegally, creating voting districts that skew more Caucasian.

It could also cause populous states with large immigrant contingents to lose seats in the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives, including big left-leaning states like California – currently with 53 seats – and New York, with 27.

The process of drawing voting maps for federal congressional districts is known as apportionment.

“Including these illegal aliens in the population of the state for the purpose of apportionment could result in the allocation of two or three more congressional seats than would otherwise be allocated,” the memo said.

Redistricting, in which voting districts are redrawn to reflect changes in the population, is next slated for 2021, after the results of the 2020 U.S. census are in.

Each state will be given a share of the 435 congressional seats based on population. Historically, the distribution of seats has been based on total population, regardless of immigration status. Trump’s memo would exclude those not in the U.S. legally.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Tuesday that would prevent migrants who are in the United States illegally from being counted when US congressional voting districts are next redrawn, triggering swift rebukes from Democrats and threats of litigation.

US census experts and lawyers say the action is legally dubious, and not easily executed in practice. Democratic-led states, including New York, and civil rights groups have already vowed to mount a legal challenge or said they are considering it.

If enacted, the plan could benefit Trump’s Republican Party by eliminating the largely non-white population of migrants in the United States illegally, creating voting districts that skew more Caucasian.

It could also cause populous states with large immigrant contingents to lose seats in the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives, including big left-leaning states like California – currently with 53 seats – and New York, with 27.

The process of drawing voting maps for federal congressional districts is known as apportionment.

“Including these illegal aliens in the population of the state for the purpose of apportionment could result in the allocation of two or three more congressional seats than would otherwise be allocated,” the memo said.

Redistricting, in which voting districts are redrawn to reflect changes in the population, is next slated for 2021, after the results of the 2020 U.S. census are in.

Each state will be given a share of the 435 congressional seats based on population. Historically, the distribution of seats has been based on total population, regardless of immigration status. Trump’s memo would exclude those not in the U.S. legally.