NUIFC Press Release // National Native American Organizations Condemn Unconstitutional Executive Census Order
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NCAIpress@ncai.org
Riof@nuifc.org
landreth@narf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2020
National Native American Organizations Condemn Unconstitutional Executive Census Order
SEATTLE, WA — The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC), and the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) unequivocally condemn the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional memorandum excluding undocumented immigrants from the 2020 Census count and apportionment and reducing the amount of time needed to conduct the Census accurately.
Our organizations have been working tirelessly to accurately count the Indigenous people of this land by working with tribal governments, the Native American nonprofit sector, and directly with trusted messengers within Indian Country. It’s because of this work, we understand that these attacks are meant to delegitimize and intimidate people from completing the Census will have profound effects on our country for the next decade and cannot be allowed to happen unchallenged.
This ill-conceived order also aims to reduce the amount of time needed to complete the Census due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The Census Bureau and Commerce Department have both asked for an extension that Census staff, tribal partners, Native nonprofits, and others have planned around and need to complete their Census plans. For example, the Navajo Nation currently has a response rate below 10 percent due to the precautions they correctly took to keep their people safe during a global pandemic. A failure to adhere to the extended deadline asked for by institutions overseeing the 2020 Census would have devasting consequences.
“American Indians and Alaska Natives know all too well the feelings of erasure and exclusion and we are still dealing with this today as we fight to finally be visible and be heard. The bottom line is, keeping the integrity of census data means counting everyone.”
American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities understand how important an accurate Census count is because there is a history of hurt as a direct result of how we’ve been historically been undercounted in all previous Censuses. The Census Bureau estimates an undercount of 4.9% of AI/ANs living on reservations, more than double the undercount of the next closest racial group. These undercounts have cost our communities billions in federal funding and resources that are critical for tribal governments to meet the basic needs of their citizens such as healthcare, infrastructure, and education.
“The Constitution is clear that the Census is meant to count all peoples residing in the United States and this memorandum is a direct attack against that precedent,” says Rio Fernandes, the Communications and Projects Director for the NUIFC. “This administration continues to try and delegitimatize the 2020 Census by attacking the undocumented community. If that wasn’t clear after their failed attempt to add a citizenship question earlier in the year, this current attack proves it without a shadow of a doubt.”
“We are in a beautiful moment of unity. If we truly want to evolve this country into one that holds in high regard the equality and inclusivity of people from all backgrounds, we must not allow space for divisive tactics,” says, Fawn Sharp, President of the National Congress of American Indians. “American Indians and Alaska Natives know all too well the feelings of erasure and exclusion and we are still dealing with this today as we fight to finally be visible and be heard. The bottom line is, keeping the integrity of census data means counting everyone.”
Our Census Coalition is calling on the Trump Administration to rescind this memorandum immediately and attempt to conduct the 2020 Census faithfully, as the Constitution outlines.
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.
About the National Congress of American Indians:
Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit www.ncai.org.
About the Native American Rights Fund
Since 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has provided legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who might otherwise have gone without adequate representation. NARF has successfully asserted and defended the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases, and has achieved significant results in such critical areas as tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resource protection, and Indian education. NARF is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that focuses on applying existing laws and treaties to guarantee that national and state governments live up to their legal obligations. For more information, visit www.narf.org