WASHINGTON -- The Heritage Foundation's Hans von Spakovsky and Mike Gonzalez responded Tuesday to the Trump administration's move to exclude illegal aliens from the population used for the apportionment of congressional seats that takes place after the constitutionally-mandated decennial Census.

“The right to vote is a sacred one, and America’s leaders should make every effort, within the bounds of U.S. law, to ensure that right is protected. The Trump administration’s move to exclude illegal aliens from the population used for the apportionment of congressional seats is just such a move.

 

“This is a simple concept of fairness: illegal aliens have no electoral rights in the U.S., and should be excluded from the population used to determine apportionment. Including them in the count dilutes the votes of American citizens, and disenfranchises states with fewer illegal immigrants. It also perversely incentivizes states to encourage more illegal immigration in violation of U.S. law and the well-being of American citizens – all in order to gain more congressional representation. Simply put, those here illegally should have no say in electing America’s leaders. 

 

“Though the usual identity politics-obsessed critics are certain to object, President Trump is acting firmly within his statutory authority to determine who are the ‘inhabitants’ of a state for purposes of apportionment, and Supreme Court precedent, established in Franklin v. Massachusetts, is squarely on his side, as well. The administration must now work diligently to collect and make available the data necessary to support and implement this substantial change, and hopefully this change can be implemented swiftly. The rule of law and the sacred right to vote depend on it.”