評論
打印
Why is California suing the federal government over the Census?
加州為何起訴聯邦政府的人口普查?
THE U. S. CENSUS HAS BEEN EVOLVING SINCE 1790,
自1790年以來，美國的人口普查就一直在不斷向前發展，
but the latest change to the list of questions has some demographics experts, civil rights leaders and Democratic lawmakers worried—
然而，最近問題列表的變動引起了一些人口統計專家，民權領袖和民主黨議員的深切擔憂，
so worried that the tweak is already facing several legal challenges.
以致變動已經多次面臨法律挑戰。
At issue is the Trump Administration's announcement on March 26 that the 2020 Census will include a question about citizenship status.
爭論的焦點在于特朗普政府3月26日宣布，2020年的人口普查將包含一項關于公民身份的調查問題。
Critics argue that the question could lead undocumented immigrants to skip the Census entirely.
批評人士認為，這個問題可能導致無證移民徹底跳過人口普查。
Census data afects everything from how much money an area receives for its highways to how many Representatives a state sends to Congress—
人口普查數據的影響涉及方方面面，從一個地區高速公路收費的多少到一個州向國會輸送的議員數量——
and thus how many delegates it receives in the Electoral College.
進而影響該州在選舉人團中的代表數量。
If people opt out, the resulting inaccurate population count could create an uneven distribution of federal funds
如果人們退出人口普查，由此產生的不準確人口數量可能導致聯邦資金分配不均,
and, because of the demographics of the respondents in question, tilt the political landscape in favor of Republicans.
同時，由于有關受訪者的人口統計數據問題，導致美國的政治格局倒向共和黨一邊。
In the wake of the announcement, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders argued that the move is nothing new
特朗普宣布這一消息之后，白宮新聞秘書薩拉·赫卡比·桑德斯辯護稱，此舉并不新鮮
(in fact, the decennial Census has not included a question about citizenship since 1950, though other census-related surveys have),
（事實上，自1950年以來十年一次的人口普查一直沒有包含公民身份問題，盡管其他與人口普查有關的調查都有包含）
and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the decision came at the request of the Department of Justice,
商務部長威爾伯·羅斯說，這一決定是在司法部的要求下作出的，
which needs the information to enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
因為司法部需要這些信息來執行1965年通過的《投票權法案》。
Secretary Ross determined that obtaining complete and accurate information to meet this legitimate government purpose
羅斯部長認為，獲得完整而準確的信息以滿足政府這一合法目的，
outweighed the limited potential adverse impacts, the department said in a statement.
大于有潛在且有限的不利影響，該部門在一份聲明中指出。
Response to the Administration's decision was swift.
民眾對政府當局的決定迅速做出了回應。
Within hours of the announcement, the attorney general of California said he was iling a lawsuit to try to stop the question from being included.
公告發布后幾個小時之內，加利福尼亞州司法部長便表示，他已經著手提起訴訟，阻止該問題被列入問卷。
Eleven other states are also suing to challenge the decision.
政府當局的決定得到了迅速的回應。
Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who now leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said his organization will likewise sue to stop it.
前總檢察長，現國家民主黨重新劃定委員會主席埃里克·霍爾德說，他的委員會也會起訴以阻止特朗普的這一決定。
Representative Carolyn Maloney, who co-chairs the House Census Caucus, had already introduced a bill
眾議院人口普查小組聯合主席，議員卡羅琳·馬洛尼則提出了一項法案，
that requires that Census changes be tested before implementation.
要求在正式實施之前先對人口普查的這一變動進行測試。
Legislation that specifically addresses the citizenship question had also been introduced in the Senate.
參議院也引入了專門針對公民身份問題的立法。
Leaders of immigrant and civil rights groups said they were gearing up for Census difficulties no matter what happens with the suits.
移民和民權組織的領導人表示，無論訴訟結果如何，他們都會為人口普查做好準備。
They fear the Trump Administration's rhetoric may deter members of underrepresented communities from participating in a government survey—even if being counted would ultimately help them.
他們擔心特朗普政府的言論可能會讓那些代表名額不足的社區的成員不敢再參與政府調查——即便被統計在內最終會幫助到他們。
The citizenship question only makes the matter that much more diicult.
公民身份問題只會讓問題變得更加困難。
"Even if the question is removed," said John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice,
“即使這次新增的問題被刪，”亞美公義促進中心主席兼執行董事約翰·楊說到。
"there will be barriers we will have to get through."
“將來還是會有別的障礙等著我們。”
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