Attorney General Becerra Issues Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Census Apportionment Memorandum

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued the following statement on today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the President’s census memorandum: 

“A complete, accurate census is about ensuring all our voices are heard and that our states get their share of resources to protect the health and well-being of all of our communities,” said Attorney General Becerra. “We remain committed to the core principle that everyone counts. Here in California, we’ll continue to stand up for each and every person who calls our state home.”

On November 30, 2020, California led a multi-jurisdiction brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Trump v. City of San Jose, et al., which, building on an earlier district court win, pushed back on the President’s unlawful attempt to undermine a complete, accurate census count by altering the census’s long-standing process on apportionment. The President’s memorandum expressly singles out California, predicting that the state will lose more than one congressional seat under the President’s policy. Today’s order by the U.S. Supreme Court follows a similar order issued in Trump v. New York, a case parallel to California’s in which the state has been involved as a friend of the court.

In challenging the President’s census memorandum, the State of California was joined by the cities of Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Oakland, as well as the Los Angeles Unified School District and County of Los Angeles.

A copy of today’s order is available here.