A federal judge in New York has struck down the Trump administration's proposal to reintroduce a citizenship question into the 2020 census.
The ruling effectively puts a freeze on a deeply contentious move that critics said would discourage non-citizens from participating in the Census.
Judge Jesse Furman said Tuesday morning that the proposal is "unlawful," writing that "(Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross') decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census -- even if it did not violate the Constitution itself -- was unlawful for a multitude of independent reasons and must be set aside."
The administration is likely to appeal the ruling. The Supreme Court has already agreed to hear a portion of the case, saying it will review whether the challengers can introduce evidence outside of the official record, including the testimony of a senior Justice Department official. The court will hear those arguments next month.
