WASHINGTON, D.C. – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) issued the statements below in response to today’s ruling by U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel granting a plaintiffs’ motion to reconsider whether the Trump administration conspired with others to intentionally discriminate against Latinos and non-citizens when it added a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.
The two-page order stating that MALDEF’s argument “raises a substantial issue” with the new evidence that the Trump administration’s reason for adding the question was not to protect voting rights as originally claimed by officials, but instead was added as a way to deprive Latinos of constitutionally protected political representation.
MALDEF submitted the request to Hazel earlier this month, following newly discovered evidence that shows direct contact between Thomas B. Hofeller, a GOP strategist, and government officials and advisors who served as intermediaries to Secretary Ross when the decision was issued in March of 2018.
Please attribute the following statement to MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz:
“The American public deserves to know the conspiratorial lengths to which the Trump administration went to seek to deter a full count of Latinos. And the public deserves to have constitutional mandates enforced; today’s decision is a key step in that proper direction.”
Please attribute the following statement to MALDEF Senior National Counsel and lead trial counsel, Denise Hulett:
“The evidence shows an undeniable conspiracy between this administration and others outside the government to jeopardize the accuracy of the census for partisan gain at the expense of Latinos and non-citizens of color. It was a disgraceful plan with consequences that will have wide ranging impact for the next decade.”
Read U.S. District Court Judge George Hazel’s order HERE
Read the brief HERE
Read a Census Timeline HERE
Read the exhibits HERE.