评论
打印
Why is California suing the federal government over the Census?
加州为何起诉联邦政府的人口普查?
THE U. S. CENSUS HAS BEEN EVOLVING SINCE 1790,
自1790年以来，美国的人口普查就一直在不断向前发展，
but the latest change to the list of questions has some demographics experts, civil rights leaders and Democratic lawmakers worried—
然而，最近问题列表的变动引起了一些人口统计专家，民权领袖和民主党议员的深切担忧，
so worried that the tweak is already facing several legal challenges.
以致变动已经多次面临法律挑战。
At issue is the Trump Administration's announcement on March 26 that the 2020 Census will include a question about citizenship status.
争论的焦点在于特朗普政府3月26日宣布，2020年的人口普查将包含一项关于公民身份的调查问题。
Critics argue that the question could lead undocumented immigrants to skip the Census entirely.
批评人士认为，这个问题可能导致无证移民彻底跳过人口普查。
Census data afects everything from how much money an area receives for its highways to how many Representatives a state sends to Congress—
人口普查数据的影响涉及方方面面，从一个地区高速公路收费的多少到一个州向国会输送的议员数量——
and thus how many delegates it receives in the Electoral College.
进而影响该州在选举人团中的代表数量。
If people opt out, the resulting inaccurate population count could create an uneven distribution of federal funds
如果人们退出人口普查，由此产生的不准确人口数量可能导致联邦资金分配不均,
and, because of the demographics of the respondents in question, tilt the political landscape in favor of Republicans.
同时，由于有关受访者的人口统计数据问题，导致美国的政治格局倒向共和党一边。
In the wake of the announcement, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders argued that the move is nothing new
特朗普宣布这一消息之后，白宫新闻秘书萨拉·赫卡比·桑德斯辩护称，此举并不新鲜
(in fact, the decennial Census has not included a question about citizenship since 1950, though other census-related surveys have),
（事实上，自1950年以来十年一次的人口普查一直没有包含公民身份问题，尽管其他与人口普查有关的调查都有包含）
and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the decision came at the request of the Department of Justice,
商务部长威尔伯·罗斯说，这一决定是在司法部的要求下作出的，
which needs the information to enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
因为司法部需要这些信息来执行1965年通过的《投票权法案》。
Secretary Ross determined that obtaining complete and accurate information to meet this legitimate government purpose
罗斯部长认为，获得完整而准确的信息以满足政府这一合法目的，
outweighed the limited potential adverse impacts, the department said in a statement.
大于有潜在且有限的不利影响，该部门在一份声明中指出。
Response to the Administration's decision was swift.
民众对政府当局的决定迅速做出了回应。
Within hours of the announcement, the attorney general of California said he was iling a lawsuit to try to stop the question from being included.
公告发布后几个小时之内，加利福尼亚州司法部长便表示，他已经着手提起诉讼，阻止该问题被列入问卷。
Eleven other states are also suing to challenge the decision.
政府当局的决定得到了迅速的回应。
Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who now leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said his organization will likewise sue to stop it.
前总检察长，现国家民主党重新划定委员会主席埃里克·霍尔德说，他的委员会也会起诉以阻止特朗普的这一决定。
Representative Carolyn Maloney, who co-chairs the House Census Caucus, had already introduced a bill
众议院人口普查小组联合主席，议员卡罗琳·马洛尼则提出了一项法案，
that requires that Census changes be tested before implementation.
要求在正式实施之前先对人口普查的这一变动进行测试。
Legislation that specifically addresses the citizenship question had also been introduced in the Senate.
参议院也引入了专门针对公民身份问题的立法。
Leaders of immigrant and civil rights groups said they were gearing up for Census difficulties no matter what happens with the suits.
移民和民权组织的领导人表示，无论诉讼结果如何，他们都会为人口普查做好准备。
They fear the Trump Administration's rhetoric may deter members of underrepresented communities from participating in a government survey—even if being counted would ultimately help them.
他们担心特朗普政府的言论可能会让那些代表名额不足的社区的成员不敢再参与政府调查——即便被统计在内最终会帮助到他们。
The citizenship question only makes the matter that much more diicult.
公民身份问题只会让问题变得更加困难。
"Even if the question is removed," said John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice,
“即使这次新增的问题被删，”亚美公义促进中心主席兼执行董事约翰·杨说到。
"there will be barriers we will have to get through."
“将来还是会有别的障碍等着我们。”
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
