Part 3/8:

During discussions, one critical point raised was how a citizenship question could lead to an undercounting of the population. It is established that the census aims not simply to gather data on citizens but to accurately account for every individual residing in the country, regardless of their legal status.

The inclusion of a citizenship question is believed to deter participation among non-citizens, leading to incomplete data, which in turn affects the distribution of federal funds and congressional representation. For instance, states with higher populations of undocumented immigrants, like California and Texas, might face reduced federal resources if the census fails to account for all individuals accurately.