The Supreme Court has opted to hear arguments over President Trump's administration's decision to add a question of citizenship to the 2020 census.
The question, which would directly ask if "this person is a citizen of the United States," has been challenged in six lawsuits around the U.S. This has led to disputes over what evidence can be brought up during the trials, and if Trump officials' motives in enacting the addition can be discussed as well. But the Supreme Court's timing on this decision is "curious," seeing as the controversial census is already undergoing one trial in New York, The Washington Post writes.
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The Trump administration has fought to block Ross from facing questioning over the matter, and last month the Supreme Court refused to allow the deposition of Ross in the New York case, per NPR. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman has scheduled closing arguments in the New York case for Nov. 27, while the Supreme Court has the case slated for next February.
The citizenship question has faced criticism from advocates who say undocumented people will avoid answering the census out of fear. That would lead to undercounts in Democrat-heavy areas, and perhaps cut federal aid that undocumented immigrants in those areas rely on.
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