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Krishnamoorthi leads push for briefing on Illinois census undercount
He led Illinois Democrats in demanding a Census Bureau briefing, warning repeated undercounts have weakened the state’s representation and reduced access to key federal resources.
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Anushka Pathak - Wed, 19, Nov 2025
- 11:34 EST
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Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi / Courtesy: Krishnamoorthi Office
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi spearheaded a call on Nov. 18 for an immediate U.S. Census Bureau briefing, warning that repeated population undercounts have cost Illinois congressional seats and billions in federal funding.
Krishnamoorthi led all 14 Democratic members of the state’s House delegation in pressing Acting Census Director Ron Jarmin for urgent updates on planning for the 2030 Census.
In their letter, the lawmakers said they were “deeply concerned about the repeated undercounting of Illinois’ population in the Census Bureau’s official estimates.” They noted that “more than 46,000 residents were not counted in the 2020 Census,” arguing the shortfall likely contributed to Illinois’ reported population decline and the loss of a House seat.
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The leaders warned that inaccurate counts undermine one of the nation’s most diverse states—home to immigrant families, rural residents, and communities of color who are “too often undercounted.”
According to them, long-standing enumeration gaps have deprived these communities of fair funding for schools, hospitals, transportation, and other essentials, while simultaneously weakening their representation in Congress.
The delegation requested a member-level briefing seeking detailed information on the bureau’s outreach to hard-to-count groups, planned methodological and technological updates, expected demographic impacts on apportionment and funding, and opportunities for collaboration with Illinois organizations.
They stressed that such information “will be invaluable as we prepare to ensure Illinois receives a representative count in the 2030 Census,” adding that the goal is a count that includes “every Illinoisian.”
Joining Krishnamoorthi in the effort were Reps. Lauren Underwood, Jesús G. “Chuy” García, Jan Schakowsky, Danny K. Davis, Eric Sorensen, Bill Foster, Sean Casten, Jonathan L. Jackson, Brad Schneider, Nikki Budzinski, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, and Robin Kelly.
Census accuracy determines House seats, Electoral College votes, and the distribution of hundreds of billions in federal funding for programs including Medicaid, education, and infrastructure.
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