(DailyChive.com) – Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) led a coordinated effort, with the backing of a group of Republican senators, to introduce the “Equal Representation Act” on Thursday, January 25th. The primary aim of this proposed legislation is to exclude illegal immigrants from being considered in the population count for both the Electoral College and congressional districts.
At the heart of the bill is a requirement for the Census Bureau to include a citizenship question in its decennial census. This addition aims to ensure that the apportionment of Electoral College votes is based solely on the number of U.S. citizens residing in each state. Notably, former President Donald Trump attempted a similar approach in 2020, seeking to include a citizenship question in the census. However, legal challenges from left-leaning groups thwarted his efforts.
Senator Hagerty strongly criticized the current practice, stating that counting illegal immigrants and non-citizens toward congressional district apportionment and the electoral map was unconscionable. He argued that, as people continued to leave Democrat-run cities, Democrats allegedly compensated for the exodus by welcoming illegal immigrants.
Furthermore, he asserted that the strategy enables Democrats to artificially bolster their political power by maintaining congressional seats and electoral votes, potentially diluting the influence of other American voters.
However, the proposed legislation, outlined in a draft, not only mandates the inclusion of a citizenship question during the census but also advocates for representatives to be designated based on the number of citizens in a state rather than the total population. This shift in approach aims to address concerns raised by Republicans about the potential manipulation of congressional representation through the inclusion of non-citizens.
Senator Marsha Blackburn, a co-sponsor of the bill, echoed Hagerty’s sentiments, asserting that blue states are losing citizens due to liberal policies but compensating by welcoming illegal immigrants. She claimed that Democrats openly admit their need for a higher headcount to secure more congressional seats and federal funding, branding such actions as “wrong and un-American.”
The proposed legislation faces a backdrop of historical challenges. In 2019, the Supreme Court blocked President Trump’s attempt to include a citizenship question in the census, citing discrimination concerns. However, the Republican senators behind the “Equal Representation Act” are determined to resurrect this initiative and alter the dynamics of electoral representation.
An array of Republican senators has expressed support for the bill.
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