Immigration experts express concern that the increasing flow of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. could significantly affect states’ representation in Congress and the Electoral College. President Biden’s executive order to include noncitizens in the census count for apportionment purposes has stirred controversy.
Chinese nationals are the fastest growing group of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border as illegal crossings continue to shatter records.
REMINDER: Biden took 94 executive actions in his first 100 days to dismantle border security — and refuses to enforce U.S. laws. pic.twitter.com/iRNZvhYQvL
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 7, 2024
“Illegal immigration has all kinds of effects and among them is that it distorts the mechanics of democratic government,” said Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies, Fox News reports.
There are approximately 16.8 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., potentially accounting for about 22 seats in the House. Recent census data revealed how sensitive states’ House seat levels are; New York narrowly lost a seat.
Lora Ries, Director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, highlighted the issue’s significance, calling for attention to the matter. Ries and RJ Hauman from the Immigration Center For Enforcement warned that illegal immigration distorts representation in Congress.
“Barring the Census from including noncitizens in apportionment is critical in making sure that American citizens — the only population who can and should vote in U.S. elections — are picking America’s leaders,” Ries and Hauman wrote. “Biden’s intentional border crisis has produced unprecedented apportionment issues, distorting the representation that states have in the House, and how many electoral votes they have in presidential elections.”
They proposed prohibiting the Census Bureau from counting illegal immigrants for apportionment, arguing it would ensure only American citizens shape the political landscape. They advocated for the Equal Representation Act, introduced by Republican senators and representatives, aiming to include a citizenship question in future censuses.
Senator Bill Hagerty emphasized the need to address the issue, criticizing Democrats for allegedly using illegal immigration to maintain political power.
Eric Ruark from NumbersUSA echoed concerns about the impact on federal funding and the integrity of democratic representation. He stressed the importance of recognizing limits on who qualifies for representation in Congress.
The issue persists as encounters with illegal immigrants at the southern border remain high. While December saw a record-breaking number of encounters, January marked a slight decrease. However, concerns persist as the Census Bureau prepares for the next census in 2030, which will shape congressional representation starting in 2033.
