Senate Allows Census to Count Illegal Aliens for Congressional Districting

The Senate voted to prevent consideration of an amendment offered by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) that would have required the 2010 census to include a question asking about an individual’s citizenship status. The Senate passed a cloture vote on the Commerce, Justice and Science spending bill, 60-to-39.

Without the question proposed by Sen. Vitter, non-U.S. citizens will be counted towards the redistribution of congressional districts. Vitter’s home state of Louisiana will likely lose a seat along with Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts. California, Texas, New York and Illinois stand to be the winners without the inclusion of the question.