Oct 7, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Trump admin appeals to Supreme Court to stop census count early

Axios

Michael Molina, of Census Bureau field office in Reading speaks. Standing to the right is Reading Mayor Eddie Moran. Outside the 3rd and Spruce Recreation Center in Reading Friday — A September census event in Reading, Pa. Photo: Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

The Trump administration filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court Wednesday in an attempt to stop the census count early, after a federal judge ordered that it continue through Oct. 31, the Economist first reported.

Driving the news: A federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration's request earlier Wednesday to end the count early, after U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh issued a preliminary injunction in San Jose, California, allowing the head count of every U.S. resident to continue through the end of October.

Catch up quick: The Census Bureau said last Friday it would continue its count through Oct. 31 as ordered by Koh, who indicated last month she may move forward with contempt proceedings after Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross defied the injunction when he ordered the 2020 census and field operations to end Oct. 5.

Koh said the Census Bureau, as well as the Department of Commerce, violated her Sept. 24 injunction order "in several ways" and "a flood of emails to the Court and the parties suggests ongoing non-compliance in the field."
The Department of Justice declined to comment beyond confirming the court filing.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect that the DOJ declined to comment.

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Trump admin appeals to Supreme Court to stop census count early

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