The Census Bureau has proposed a major change to how America would be counted in the 2030 Census. Under the proposal, only U.S. citizens and green-card holders would be included in the population count used to determine how House seats are divided. People in the country illegally would be excluded from that calculation, along with many people here on temporary legal status. The main census form would also drop questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
The Bureau says the Constitution requires counting people who have a “usual residence” in a state, and that this has long meant more than just being physically present. It points to a Supreme Court case that said residence can include a lasting tie, or allegiance, to a place. The proposal would use tax records and files from agencies such as Homeland Security to help decide who qualifies. Officials are also asking whether the census form should include a question about legal status.
A second part of the rule would drop questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation from the main census form that is used to count the population. Questions about sex, date of birth, and who lives in the household could still appear. Detailed race and ethnicity data could still be collected through other surveys, including the American Community Survey.
House seats and Electoral College votes are based on the census count. The public has 30 days to comment after the rule is published. The docket number is USBC-2026-0628.
