PHOENIX (AP) - A coalition of Latino elected leaders will hear from the head of the U.S. Census Bureau this weekend as controversy swirls over plans to ask about citizenship in the 2020 questionnaire.
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials is hosting its annual conference in Phoenix this week and on Saturday will host Census Acting Director Ron Jarmin.
Arturo Vargas, the executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, said the decision to ask about citizenship status is purely political and will affect Latino communities by resulting in an undercount.
The session is focused on getting an accurate count of Latinos in the nation.
Critics say the citizenship question will deter many from filling out the questionnaire, resulting in an undercount.
They say it's an unconstitutional attempt to discriminate against immigrants. A lawsuit against the plan is ongoing.
Acting Census Director Ron Jarmin said the Census Bureau is barred by law from sharing Census results with other government agencies.
The Trump administration says it needs to add the question to enforce the Voting Rights Act, a 1965 law meant to protect political representation of minority groups.