(DailyVantage.com) – The Republicans in the United States Senate recently attempted to prevent census takers from counting illegal immigrants to determine the appropriate number of seats within the House of Representatives and state delegates for national elections. Despite the overwhelming support from conservative lawmakers, none of the Democrats in the Senate supported the measure, promptly ending the Republican-led effort. Republican Senator Bill Hagerty (Tennessee) introduced the measure as an amendment to a new spending package supported by Democrats, sparking comparisons to a similar policy from the Trump administration.
Hagerty’s proposed amendment would have prevented the Census Bureau, the group responsible for collecting and analyzing United States census data, from completing census questionnaires without addressing someone’s citizenship status. The bill also featured provisions that would’ve prevented census takers from counting legal immigrants with permission to remain in the United States, but Hagerty cited the ongoing immigration surge at the southern United States border as the primary focus of his proposed amendment.
According to Hagerty, Democrats are overwhelmingly supportive of census takers counting illegal immigrants in censuses due to the potential increase in support for the Democratic Party. Conservative lawmakers like Hagerty regularly criticize the Democratic Party for its relaxed approach to border security, which many Republicans believe could threaten national security or national elections’ integrity. When discussing Democrats’ support for illegal immigrants, Hagerty described the pro-immigration movement as a “power grab.”
The main concern for many Republican lawmakers, including Hagerty, is the potential restructuring of the House of Representatives that could occur when census takers count illegal immigrants. Conservatives often cite the growing immigration rate as a threat to the American vote, as people without citizenship status could shift state representation dramatically should census takers include them in data.
Despite the Republican Party’s concerns, 51 senators voted against Hagerty’s proposed amendment to the spending package. Every Republican supported the measure or failed to attend the session, meaning a similar provision may pass in the House of Representatives. Hagerty discussed the failed vote and accused the Democratic lawmakers of using immigration to strengthen the Democratic Party.
Copyright 2024, DailyVantage.com
