In a strange but unsurprising move, Senate Democrats have collectively voted against Senator Bill Hagerty’s (R-Tenn.) proposal to exclude illegal immigrants from the national census. This decision has significant consequences, as census data is crucial in determining House seats and Electoral College representation in elections.
The roots of this debacle can be traced back to President Joe Biden’s executive order shortly after assuming office in 2021. The order directed the Census Bureau to assess the population of each state without considering the residents’ immigration status.
Senator Hagerty’s proposed amendment, an addition to the Equal Representation Act, sought to introduce a citizenship question in future censuses. Under this provision, non-U.S. citizens, including those with temporary visas and green cards, would be ineligible for representation in congressional districts and Electoral College apportionments. It’s important to note that census data is collected once every ten years.
Unfortunately, the amendment faced a resounding defeat of 45-51, failing to secure a single Democratic vote. Senator Hagerty expressed frustration on March 8, accusing Democrats of withholding support for political reasons. He emphasized his commitment to pursuing this issue, stating, “Democrats’ unanimous opposition to this commonsense measure confirms that they’re using illegal aliens and sanctuary cities to increase their political power.”
The senator has long asserted that Democrats in sanctuary cities strategically permit illegal immigrants, aiming to boost their voting numbers and gain more followers in the House of Representatives and Electoral College.
Sanctuary cities, locations where authorities may limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts, have become a contentious aspect of this debate. Approximately 200 cities, counties, and states in the United States are considered sanctuary cities, including notable places like New Orleans, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
The Equal Representation Act, sponsored not only by Senator Hagerty but also by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and others, responds to a video capturing a Democrat Congresswoman openly calling for more illegal immigration to her New York congressional district to aid in redistricting.
Republican senators argue that states like California, with a substantial number of illegal immigrants, unfairly gain additional congressional seats and Electoral College votes. They accuse such states of being lenient toward illegal immigrants, motivated by a desire to bolster the political power of their residents in comparison to states without a population boost from illegal immigration.
Elon Musk, CEO of the social media platform X, commented on the legislative setback, echoing Senator Hagerty’s claims. Musk highlighted that the Census Bureau currently counts all individuals in a district, regardless of citizenship, affecting the balance of power.
According to Musk, this practice disproportionately benefits Democrat states, causing a shift of approximately 5% to the left in both House and Presidential votes, which he believes is influencing the Biden administration’s approach to immigration.
The implications of this decision are far-reaching, as it touches on the core principles of fair representation and the potential manipulation of electoral power. The outcome of this debate raises questions about the priorities and motivations behind the Democrats’ unanimous stance on including illegal immigrants in the census.
Now, turning back to the ongoing debate on the Equal Representation Act, illegal immigration keeps causing trouble, especially during election season. President Biden recently visited the southern border and asked Congress to pass a border bill that both parties could agree on during his State of the Union speech.
The situation at the border has been challenging, with a lot of illegal immigrants and drugs coming into the U.S. over 10 million illegal immigrants have jumped the border since Biden became president in 2021.
Republicans have been saying we need stricter border laws for a long time. But recently, they’re getting more urgent about it. This came to a head after a terrible incident: a 22-year-old nursing student named Laken Hope Riley was killed by someone living in the U.S. illegally. Now, Republicans are calling on President Biden to close the border right away.
House Speaker Mike Johnson used social media on February 24 to tell President Biden to use his power and close the border. He pointed out that Laken’s killer was one of the millions of illegal aliens released into the country by the Biden Administration.
“Laken’s killer was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply let into our country,” Mr. Johnson said. He made it clear that House Republicans are ready to fight hard for a return to law and order in the face of the ongoing border crisis.
Laken Hope Riley’s tragic story is a painful reminder of the human cost of the border crisis. House Republicans are determined to support policies that focus on keeping Americans safe and dealing with the challenges of illegal immigration.
