NUIFC Press Release // The National Urban Indian Family Coalition Lauds the Federal Injunction to Extend the 2020 Census
CONTACT
Janeen Comenote, Executive Director
National Urban Indian Family Coalition
jcomenote@nuifc.org
(206) 551-9933
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2020
THE NATIONAL URBAN INDIAN FAMILY COALITION LAUDS THE FEDERAL INJUNCTION TO EXTEND THE 2020 CENSUS
SEATTLE, WA — The National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC) is pleased to see the federal court's preliminary injunction that prevents the 2020 Census Count from ending early and delays the end-of-year deadline for delivering apportionment data.
“Urban Indian communities across the country are already struggling to get an accurate count in this pandemic environment and the idea of shortening the Census timeline is tone-deaf and irresponsible as it will disproportionally hurt our communities for years to come.”
This decision from U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh requires the Census Bureau to keep trying to count the country’s residents through October 31st. This new deadline was the original extension offered by the Census Bureau before an ill-conceived executive order attempted to truncate the enumeration period, which would devastate the American Indian and Alaska Native population.
“Urban Indian communities across the country are already struggling to get an accurate count in this pandemic environment and the idea of shortening the Census timeline is tone-deaf and irresponsible as it will disproportionally hurt our communities for years to come,” says Janeen Comenote, the Executive Director of the NUIFC. “This judicial decision reaffirms what we have been saying, and we are calling on the federal government to honor this extension so that our coalition of community-based organizations can continue working on counting every member of their communities."
Judge Koh cited how a shortened Census schedule is likely to provide inaccurate numbers from historically undercounted populations. The lawsuit claims that the administration's decision was arbitrary and capricious was likely to succeed. Since the 2010 Census, American Indian and Alaska Native communities, especially those in Urban environments, suffered significant impacts from a 4.9% undercount, more than double the next closest racial group's undercount.
Starting in 2019, the NUIFC has been working with urban Indian organizations, ranging from local, culturally responsive, community-based centers to large national partners like the Native American Rights Fund, National Council of Urban Indian Health, and National Congress of American Indians. An extension allows this national coalition to capitalize on an unprecedented investment to get an accurate count for the 2020 Census. An extension is also a commonsense response to the chaos caused by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Census is a clearly defined constitutional responsibility of the federal government, and we are pleased to see that Judge Koh recognizes that," says Comenote. "It's disappointing that it has come to a court order to try and preserve this civic endeavor's integrity. We are also calling on Congress to provide a legislative extension for the Census to help protect this foundational piece of our democracy."
About the National Urban Indian Family Coalition
Founded in 2003, the mission of the NUIFC is to elevate a national voice and sustain Indigenous values and culture through a strong network of urban Indian organizations. The goals of the NUIFC are to build a movement that promotes advocacy, enhances resources, and mobilizes systems to integrate Urban Indian issues in policy discussions and implementation and to sustain indigenous values and culture within urban communities. Learn more by visiting www.nuifc.org.