Alabama Files Suit Over Census Illegal Immigrant Counts

How many people live on your street? How many cars are estimated to drive it daily? How many teachers are needed for each grade at the school for which you're zoned? All of these numbers are partially determined by the U.S. Census. However, state leadership wants part of the counted to NOT count: illegal immigrants.

According to the Associated Press, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, challenging the practice of counting illegal immigrants in the census, which is used to determine congressional districts. His concern isn't necessarily with the number of people living in the state illegally. It's a matter of losing an electoral vote to another state with a population that is boosted by undocumented immigrants.

Marshall receives support with a co-plaintiff, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks. Brooks says that congressional seats should be apportioned based on the population of American citizens, not those here illegally.

At the same time, there is a concern that immigrants will be under-counted in the 2020 census. Seventeen states are seeking to have a question about citizenship removed, out of fear that it will deter immigrants from participating in the census, which will dilute representation in states with high immigrant- legal and illegal -populations.
It's easy to see both sides of the arguments, but which do you support?