U.S. Supreme Court votes to block question of citizenship on census

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The US Supreme Court may have dropped the citizenship question from 2020 census forms, but Governor Gavin Newsom fears millions of Californians will still be undercounted.

"Regardless of the decision today, the damage of bringing this issue up and being part of our national discourse over the course of last year, has been done," Newsom said.

Members of the Fresno County Complete Count Committee gathered in downtown Fresno to show support for the Supreme Court vote blocking the question of citizenship.

"Adding this question was about stoking fear, about reducing the count in areas where immigrants lived and thus reducing their political representation," said Elizabeth Jonasson, a board member with FUSD.

The group says many families with undocumented relatives are wary of a government count. But they hope families can overcome their fear to help the Valley avoid a loss of federal funding and services.

"There are 132 federal programs that are funded as a result of the census count so you're talking about things from public health, public safety," said Samuel Molina with the Complete Count Committee.

President Trump still hopes to add the citizenship question. He tweeted, "I have asked the lawyers if they can delay the census, no matter how long, until the United States Supreme Court is given additional information from which it can make a final and decisive decision on this very critical matter."

The issue has been sent back to the Commerce Department for review but time could be running out though.

The US Census Bureau was expected to start printing census forms in just a few days.