San Jose and Mayor Sam Liccardo Sue President Trump Over Census Count

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo
Photo credit USA Today/Imagn

The city of San Jose and Mayor Sam Liccardo have joined with other jurisdictions to sue the Trump administration, after President Trump issued an order to exclude undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. from the 2020 census count. 

On July 21, Mr. Trump directed Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to change the 2020 census count to exclude undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. 

San Jose and Mayor Liccardo, who is listed as an individual plaintiff in the lawsuit filed, are asking for undocumented immigrants to be included in the census. 

“When I was asked whether I wanted to be a named plaintiff in this lawsuit, I immediately said yes, because this is a deeply personal issue for me,” Mayor Liccardo said. “I went to school with undocumented immigrants. I have undocumented immigrants who are neighbors of mine and there are undocumented immigrants who are members of my extended family.” 

San José is proud to be the home of a large and vibrant immigrant community, including many who are undocumented, and I want to assure them that my office will work hard to protect their rights and their personhood. #everyonecounts #everyvotecounts

— Sam Liccardo (@sliccardo) July 31, 2020

Mayor Liccardo told KCBS Radio that the issue directly impacts the city’s ability to secure vital funding for critical needs such as housing, education and healthcare.  

“We are a city of immigrants in San Jose,” he said. “Nearly 40% of us were born in a foreign country, and perhaps 80,000 or 90,000 of us are undocumented immigrants in San Jose.” 

Mayor Liccardo said that President Trump's move to exclude undocumented immigrants is blatantly racist and unconstitutional. 

The mayor and city are joining King County, Washington and Arlington County, Virginia in the lawsuit. 

The Trump administration already attempted to add a citizenship question to the census, but that was rejected.