Dear John, 

Trump tried to weaponize the Census and steal immigrants’ political power, not just once, but twice. And both times, the NYIC and immigrant advocates fought back and won. 

Last night, judges announced their unanimous decision in our suit against Trump—ruling that undocumented immigrants count in the 2020 Census, and Trump’s attempts to exclude them were unlawful! This is another huge victory for immigrant communities in the battle for a fair Census.

But we don’t have time to celebrate. We have only 19 days left to make sure ALL New Yorkers are counted. New York State is lagging at 33rd in the nation—right now, our Census response rate is at 62.2%. In some neighborhoods, response rates are still below 50%.

The next 19 days are absolutely critical for New Yorkers, and for our democracy. The results of the 2020 Census will determine whether our communities have the political representation and resources they need not for just the next 10 years, but for decades to come.

The past six months illustrate just how vital it is that our communities have funding for housing, education, hospitals, and the myriad services funded according to Census data. Our economic recovery from the pandemic hinges on our Census count—we must do everything we can to ensure New Yorkers, regardless of status, are included. 

It’s essential to understand that the information collected in the Census is absolutely confidential—it won’t be shared with DHS or ICE or landlords, and is legally protected. It’s also essential to understand that the Trump administration doesn’t want immigrants to fill out the Census. One of the most powerful ways we can resist is by filling out the Census and encouraging our loved ones and neighbors to do the same. 

Our battle against Trump won’t be finished until ALL immigrants and ALL New Yorkers are counted. Get out the count today!

Thanks for fighting with us,


Steve Choi, 
Executive Director