Trump administration to pay $846G to California over failed bid to add citizenship question to census
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Trump administration has agreed to pay $846,000 to the state of California in a settlement over the administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the U.S. Census, according to a report.
California sued the Trump administration earlier this year over concerns a citizenship question on the census would lead to underrepresentation of minorities.
In June the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the administration’s reasoning for adding the question, calling it “contrived," and calling on the White House to provide other reasons for wanting the data, The Sacramento Bee reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the 5-4 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts sided with liberal associate justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagen, Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer. Opposing the California lawsuit were conservative justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
President Trump later blasted the court's ruling in a Twitter message.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Seems totally ridiculous that our government, and indeed Country, cannot ask a basic question of Citizenship in a very expensive, detailed and important Census, in this case for 2020," the president wrote. "I have asked the lawyers if they can delay the Census, no matter how long, until the ... United States Supreme Court is given additional information from which it can make a final and decisive decision on this very critical matter."
California had argued it could lose billions in funding if its minority populations are underrepresented.
In the settlement, the administration will pay California the sum for lawyer fees and related costs incurred by the state.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The administration said it would get citizenship information from other sources.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In July, Trump signed an executive order directing executive agencies to provide as much citizenship data allowed under the law to the Commerce Department, The Bee reported.