How two Supreme Court cases may undermine a cornerstone of American democracy
Posted by Ryan Suto on May 30, 2019 in Blog
AAI Statement on Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Census Citizenship Question
Posted by Tess Waggoner on April 23, 2019 in Blog
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2019
CONTACT: Tess Waggoner
twaggoner@aaiusa.org
(202) 429-9210 AAI Statement on Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Census Citizenship Question
WASHINGTON, DC – Maya Berry, Executive Director of the Arab American Institute, made the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Department of Commerce v. New York, which asks whether a question about citizenship can be added to the 2020 census questionnaire:
“The decennial census is supposed to be a matter of mandated constitutional procedure. It is not supposed to be politicized. Our...
Read moreAAI Statement on Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Census Citizenship Question
Posted on April 23, 2019 in Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2019
CONTACT: Tess Waggoner
twaggoner@aaiusa.org
(202) 429-9210 AAI Statement on Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Census Citizenship Question
WASHINGTON, DC – Maya Berry, Executive Director of the Arab American Institute, made the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Department of Commerce v. New York, which asks whether a question about citizenship can be added to the 2020 census questionnaire:
“The decennial census is supposed to be a matter of mandated constitutional procedure. It is not supposed to be politicized. Our...
Read moreOn National Census Day of Action, AAI Launches “Yalla Count Me In”
Posted on April 01, 2019 in Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2019
CONTACT: Tess Waggoner
twaggoner@aaiusa.org
(202) 429-9210
On National Census Day of Action, AAI Launches “Yalla Count Me In”
WASHINGTON, DC – On April 1, 2019 the Arab American Institute along with a coalition of Arab American organizations formally launches, Yalla Count Me In, a national campaign to Get Out the Count (GOTC) of Arab Americans during the upcoming decennial Census in 2020. This launch corresponds with the National Day of Action hosted by the Census Counts coalition, civil rights groups who are working to ensure all communities, especially those who are designated as
TAKE ACTION: Send Comments on Info Collection on 2020 Census by Aug. 7
Posted on July 31, 2018 in Action Alerts
The Census Bureau has come under fire for several issues that can negatively impact an accurate count on the upcoming 2020 census. The Census Bureau must ensure an accurate count which is why we have advocated for adding a Middle Eastern North African ethnic category to the questionnaire for over three years. Decades of research done by the Bureau itself has showed that adding a MENA category by way of a new combined question format would be beneficial in providing a more accurate population count. All this data and research were disregarded under the context that the Bureau did...
Read moreCountdown Vol 18 No. 7: For the Love of Democracy
Posted on July 27, 2018 in Countdown
DREAMers Countdown: It’s been 325 days since President Trump moved to end DACA. The courts did step in to block the move, but Congress has yet to provide a permanent fix.
Read moreThe Politicization of the Census: Arab Americans and the Citizenship Question
Posted by Suher Adi on July 26, 2018 in Blog
The 2020 Census is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. The data collected serves many purposes, for all those residing in the United States. From redistricting and helping Congress appropriate the right amount of funds for various services to helping determine where schools and hospitals should be built, the Census is an avenue for the federal government to support the people as intended.
For years communities have been asking the Bureau to change the race and ethnicity categories used due to the need of providing more categories for a more accurate count of underrepresented communities. This disaggregation of data...
Read moreArab American Institute v. Office of Mgmt. and Budget
Posted on June 15, 2018 in 2020 Census: Reaching An Accurate Count
Background
On January 26, 2018, the Census Bureau announced that the 2020 Census would not include a new “Middle Eastern orNorthAfrican” category or use a combined question format. The decision is anegregious rejection of stakeholder interest that impedes the possibility of an accurate count.
The decision came after the Office of Management and Budget delayed a planned December release of recommendations regarding the standards for race and ethnicity data for federal agencies, which would affect the categories used in the decennial census. The failure to adopt an approach that we have worked on for more than three decades is irresponsible...
Census Hearing Illuminates Problems with Administration’s Decision Making Process
Posted by Guest on June 13, 2018 in Blog
By Blaise Malley
Last Friday, the House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a hearing regarding the hotly contested addition of a citizenship category to the 2020 Census.
For a question that was put forth by the current administration as being about accumulating the most accurate and precise data possible, the debate at the hearing made clear the political agenda behind the citizenship question. Led by the subcommittee chairman Rep. Steve King (R-NY), Republican members of the committee argued that counting non-citizens who cannot vote distorts the allocation of both congressional seats and Electoral College votes. Democrats countered...
Read moreCountdown Vol. 17 No. 23: The Worst is Yet to Come
Posted on May 11, 2018 in Countdown
DREAMers Countdown: It’s been 247 days since President Trump moved to end DACA. The courts did step in to block the move, but Congress has yet to provide a permanent fix.
Read more