It reads: Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers. counting the whole number of persons in each State. The purpose of the language is to prevent aliens from being -included in census data. The amendment would preclude the counting of both illegal aliens and persons whose applications for naturalization are pending. The unfortunate result of this restrictive language would be to disenfranchise thousands of people who are awaiting final word on their citizenship. The amendment. therefore. goes well beyond the longstanding controversy about the counting of undocumented aliens. It will also reach the Soviet Jews. the Italians. the Poles. the Greeks. and the countless other people who are in the process of becoming American citizens. The effect of this language would be precedent setting and far reaching.
Keywords matched
naturalization undocumented illegal aliens