Asian American Federation Opposes Proposed 2030 Census Changes
Asian American Federation CEO Catherine Chen (center in red shirt) joins City Council Speaker Julie Menin, New York Attorney General Letitia James and other members of the community in a rally at City Hall on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Credit: Asian American Federation
NEW YORK — The Asian American Federation on Thursday joined New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and New York Attorney General Letitia James at a City Hall rally opposing a Trump administration proposal that would exclude many immigrants without green cards from the 2030 Census and eliminate questions on race, ethnicity and sexual orientation from the national count.
The proposal, published by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Federal Register on Sept. 10, would change the population count used for congressional apportionment by limiting it to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The proposed rule would exclude undocumented immigrants as well as some people who are legally in the United States, including asylum seekers and holders of temporary visas such as H-1B visas.
The public comment period on the proposal is scheduled to close on Oct. 13. Menin and James said they plan to submit comments opposing the changes and are urging the administration to extend the deadline.
“Since 1790, the U.S. Census has helped present a true and complete picture of our nation by counting every resident,” Asian American Federation CEO Catherine Chen said in a statement. “Without accurate data, we risk leaving entire communities out of the decisions that shape their lives and the resources they depend on.”
Chen said Asian Americans account for 17% of New York City’s population and represent one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the country. She said the proposed changes could make it more difficult to direct resources toward programs such as Asian-language services and culturally responsive health care.
The Asian American Federation, which has led Census outreach efforts for New York’s Asian community since 2000, is a member of Menin’s Census Task Force and the only designated Census Information Center in the Northeast focused on serving Asian Americans.
Advocates say the proposed changes could affect federal funding, political representation and demographic data used by governments, researchers and service providers. The proposal would also remove race, ethnicity and sexual orientation questions from Census forms used to collect population data.
The Census Bureau said the proposed residence criteria would define a person’s “usual residence” based on where they lawfully spent the most days between Jan. 3 and April 1 of the census year. The agency said tax records and other documentation could be considered as supporting evidence in determining residency.