“Today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court is a win, at least for now. But the fight is far from over. We must block this controversial question permanently.

The City Council stands united with elected officials and community-based organizations across New York to ensure an accurate U.S. Census. Together with the de Blasio administration, we have dedicated $40 million of the Fiscal Year 2020 New York City budget to fund a major outreach campaign to support the vital work of community-based organizations to coordinate events and perform canvassing to ensure we get a full count of New Yorkers. The campaign will be conducted in close partnership with local groups, public libraries, business leaders, and other vital stakeholders.

At stake is our political representation and at least $73 billion dollars of federal funding for New York’s hospitals, schools, roads, affordable housing, and other vital services. It’s important to note that no matter what happens, federal law prohibits the sharing of personal census data with anyone – including government agencies, immigration authorities, or law enforcement.

The Trump administration thinks this question will scare us into being invisible. It won’t work.”