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Posted on 04/23/2019 9:40:57 AM PDT by jazusamo
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Tuesday that Hispanics may have a “rational fear” of their answers to the census being misused by the Trump administration, as she argued against including a question about citizenship in the 2020 count.
The Supreme Court heard oral argument on the thorny question, with the liberal justices saying they feared millions of people — Hispanics in particular — will toss the forms into the trash rather than fill them out, distorting the entire 2020 count.
“Are you sure they don’t have a rational fear?” Justice Sotomayor challenged the government’s lawyer.
The government said the question has been asked before, provides important information and besides, refusing to answer the census is illegal, so catering to the potential for Americans’ to take illegal action is fraught with its own perils.
Besides, there are ways to go out and find people who refused to fill out their forms, thus ensuring the government can get the information it needs — including citizenship information, said Noel Francisco, the U.S. solicitor general, arguing the case for President Trump and the administration.
He said the citizenship data is worth it even if it means more hassle and the potential for fewer responses.
“There’s always going to be a tradeoff,” he told the court.
A citizenship question was standard on the full census for more than 100 years, then was shunted to the so-called “long form” census along with a bunch of other demographic and sociological questions in 1960. It’s still asked now on the American Community Survey, another census survey, though it’s not part of the questionnaire that goes to everyone.
That history complicates the argument over adding it back in.
(Excerpt) Read more at outline.com ...
Is Sotomayor sure they do have a rational fear and if so could the reason be they are law breakers?
So, what if I were in Mexico speaking fluent Spanish and the authorities asked me if I had Mexican citizenship, should I answer?
I think she means ILLEGAL hispanics. Why would a legal resident fear it?
Illegals.
Personally, I have never head of any.
No, they do not.
Illegal aliens might, but then, they should.
The ONLY reason someone would be opposed to Voter ID laws is to encourage illegal voting.
No they do not. Sotomayor is Obamas legacy... due to her health issues however, she hopefully won’t be hanging around like RGB
illegals in this country SHOULD HAVE a fear of being deported!
Well, I have a rational fear that my tax returns will be abused by the House Ways and Means Committee.
Does that mean that I won’t face a penalty if I don’t file, Justice Wise Latina?
Does the White House have more Obongo holdover sabatours presnting his case?
I have a rational fear of big-mouth Justices who are obviously biased. How about this, Sonia? Keep your mouth shut. Listen to the legal arguments when the case comes before the Court. Then vote based on the law.
Excellent point.
The country becomes a joke. A US Supreme Court Justice plays politics
Exactly!
Her question is dumb.
Here’s a trade off. One bus ticket back across the border and they won’t have to answer the census question.
That she is opposed to the question tells me we need the question.
If they’re here LEGALLY, they have no rational fear. The Wise Latina is admitting that many of them are here ILLEGALLY, and rationally fear that they will be deported … as should happen.
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Isn’t it obvious that she’s an alien herself and sides only with “her people”?
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