WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE KEN JENKINS TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: YOU “CANNOT SIMPLY ERASE PEOPLE.”
Jenkins Demands Withdrawal of Proposed Federal Census Changes
(White Plains, NY) – If you are going to count Westchester County – you must count all of Westchester County. That’s Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins’ position. He’s pushing back on a proposed federal rule that threatens to change FUNDIMENTALLY how Americans are counted in the U.S. Census, warning that the changes could strip communities of critical federal funding, undermine civil rights protections and force local taxpayers to shoulder an even greater financial burden.
Jenkins said:
“The federal government wants to pretend that millions of people living in our communities simply do not exist. But here is the reality: These residents live here. They work here. Their children attend our schools. They contribute to our economy. And they rely on services that local governments are legally obligated to provide.”
In a letter to the U.S. Census Bureau, Jenkins formally opposed the proposed changes to the decennial Census, calling for the federal government to immediately withdraw the proposal. The sweeping changes would:
- Exclude undocumented immigrants and certain other noncitizens from the Census count,
- Impose restrictive new residency requirements
- Eliminate longstanding questions about race and ethnicity, and
- Weaken existing data privacy protections.
Jenkins said:
“Washington cannot simply erase people. All this proposal does is take federal dollars away from communities like Westchester and dump the financial burden directly onto the backs of local property taxpayers.”
Under the proposal,
the definition of usual residence would be narrowed to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, with residency determined through a restrictive time period and verification using tax records. The changes could exclude undocumented immigrants as well as individuals lawfully present in the United States under temporary immigration classifications, including visa holders, asylum seekers and individuals with Temporary Protected Status.
In Westchester County, where approximately 26% of residents are foreign-born, the consequences could be substantial.
The County’s formal objections also highlight the proposal’s elimination of longstanding residency categories, potentially creating confusion for college students, individuals in temporary housing, foster children, people receiving residential treatment and others whose living arrangements do not fit neatly into the proposed definitions. Westchester is home to numerous colleges, hospitals, residential treatment facilities, shelters and group homes, making accurate residency guidance particularly important.
The County also raised serious concerns about the proposed reliance on tax records to establish residency, noting that low-income individuals and residents experiencing housing instability may not have documentation that accurately reflects where they live. Compounding those concerns is the absence of a clearly identified appeals process for individuals who believe they have been improperly excluded from the count.
The proposed rule would also prohibit questions about race and ethnicity on the decennial Census questionnaire, eliminating information that local governments have historically relied upon to protect voting rights, ensure fair housing, provide language assistance and identify disparities in public services.
Westchester County relies on demographic data to comply with federal civil rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That information is also essential for emergency preparedness, public health planning and ensuring that government services reach residents who need them most.
Jenkins said: “These proposed changes need to be withdrawn.”
He is calling on the Federal Government to ensure:
- All residents are counted, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
- Questions about race and ethnicity remain part of the Census.
- Residency requirements accurately reflect the realities of modern American households.
- Residents are not excluded because of incomplete or inconsistent tax records.
- Longstanding privacy protections remain in place.
- The federal government fully evaluates the financial consequences of any proposed changes for counties and local taxpayers.
Jenkins said: “My oath is to all the residents of Westchester, and I won’t stop until the Trump Administration accepts everyone.”
