Did People Really “Leave It Blank”? A Tale of What Became of the Census Citizenship Question and Allocation Trends Through Time

Abstract

The 2020 Decennial Census garnered unprecedented attention due to the proposed reintroduction of the citizenship question by the Trump Administration. The legal imperative to respond to the Census and the sensitive nature of the citizenship question led to tensions and public outrage. This paper discusses the controversy surrounding the addition of the citizenship question and its implications on vulnerable communities, particularly undocumented immigrants and communities of color. Although the citizenship question was ultimately not added to the 2020 Decennial Census, it continued to be asked on the American Community Survey (ACS). We examine how negative public sentiment during this time, in tandem with historical mistrust of government data collection, may have manifested as item non-response within the ACS, specifically on questions relating to citizenship status and, more broadly, the Origin and Language subgroup of questions. The analyses in this paper explore trends in non-response rates from the American Community Survey from 2014 to 2022. Item allocation rates are used as a proxy for non-response to questions relating to citizenship. A variety of data visualization tools, supported by statistical methods, are employed to weave connections between allocation trends and the proposed addition of the citizenship question to the Decennial Census. We aim to bring transparency to this issue to educate and encourage response within vulnerable communities by emphasizing the importance of accurate data collection and positive perceptions of government-issued surveys, which are used to make key legislative decisions and create a more democratic nation.