[Cementjungle]

Problem is, the census will be the basis for determining congressional representation stzte by state. We lose on this one since blue states full of illegals will get more representation.

[Toad of Toad Hall]

True. But the same problem would exist even if they got the citizenship question on the census. They have been apportioning by raw population for a long time. Merely adding the question would not have changed that. In the end, this final strategy by Trump may prove more effective because the numbers will be objective, scientific, and not obfuscated by lies, fraud or gimmicks.

[meadsjn]

Problem is, the census will be the basis for determining congressional representation stzte by state.

Perhaps the plan is to send census forms to only US citizens, and only US citizens will be counted.

It is doable. Let's see how this plays out.

[be-baw]

“Problem is, the census will be the basis for determining congressional representation stzte by state. We lose on this one since blue states full of illegals will get more representation.”

It is not settled law that non-citizens can’t be included in congressional apportionment. I think Barr mentioned in his comments today that issue is currently in the system....somewhere.

I keep saying this but no one seems to be listening...

[DouglasKC]

Problem is, the census will be the basis for determining congressional representation stzte by state. We lose on this one since blue states full of illegals will get more representation.

I'm thinking that's another legal battle down the road. Once Trump knows how many illegals are in an area he can adjust the census count.

[kiryandil]

Let's assume that tomorrow 20 million people from Mexico flood into California.  This would make the population of California approximately 60 million, out of 350 million in total.  This would mean under apportionment they would have 75 seats, approximately, if that argument holds out of 435.

Ok, what if 200 million people were to flood into California over a 10 year period?  None of them are citizens and yet now one state, under that "read" of the Constitution as amended, results in it having forty-five percent of the entire House, or one hundred and ninety-six seats.

The entirety of the rest of the nation no longer has any representation at all; the entirety of the United States House is now beholden to and both can and will pass laws on the predicate and demand of non-citizens.

This outcome is patently absurd as to "interpret" the Amendment this way means we no longer have a nation that is bounded by the Constitution and its representative process in any form.  In other words this "interpretation" is an effective repeal of the entirety of the Constitution, not only as originally written but as amended.

That's absurd and thus cannot be the intent of the language in the 14th Amendment. - Karl Denninger