The Political Misrepresentation of Immigrants in the Census

Abstract

Who is a member of the political community? What barriers to inclusion do immigrants face as outsiders to this political community? This article describes several barriers facing immigrants that impede their political belonging. It critiques these barriers not on the basis of immigrants’ rights, but based on their rights as current and future members of the political community. This is the second of two essays. The first essay focuses on voting restrictions impacting Asian American and Latino voters. The second essay focuses on challenges to including immigrants, Asian Americans, and Latinos in the 2020 census. The essays critique the exclusion of immigrants from the political community because it compromises representational equality.

Keywords: Voting, census, politics, immigration, equality, race