An envelope sent from the U.S. Census Bureau contains information about the 2020 national head count. The Trump administration is reviewing the racial and ethnic categories approved for the 2030 census and other future federal surveys.
Matt Rourke/AP
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Matt Rourke/AP
The Trump administration is initiating a review of the racial and ethnic categories set for the 2030 census. There is concern among supporters of these categories that any alterations might impact data accuracy, which is crucial for activities like redistricting and policy-making.
During the Biden presidency, revisions were made to these categories following research by the Census Bureau, introducing new options like “Middle Eastern or North African” and “Hispanic or Latino,” and ceasing the automatic classification of Middle Eastern or North African individuals as white.
However, Mark Calabria, chief statistician in the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, mentioned at a recent federal statistics meeting that the Trump administration is revisiting how these standards were put in place. “We’re still at the very beginning of a review. And this, again, is not prejudging any particular outcome,” Calabria stated. He highlighted that the review’s outcome is yet to be determined.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not commented on this matter, though the review comes as part of broader policy changes under the Trump administration, including scaling back diversity and inclusion initiatives and data collection on transgender rights.
Previously, the OMB extended the deadline for federal agencies to comply with the new standards until 2029, noting the necessity of additional time for implementation while the review is ongoing.
During the first Trump administration, progress on updating racial and ethnic data standards was delayed, affecting the 2020 census. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, advocates for a thorough review of these standards due to concerns about political biases in data collection under the Biden administration.
While some fear political motives behind the review, proponents of the updated categories argue they provide a more accurate reflection of the nation’s demographics. “At stake is a more accurate and deeper understanding of the communities that comprise our country,” said Meeta Anand of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
