Thread by @hansilowang

BREAKING: @TheJusticeDept has released 1,320 pages of emails, memos, other docs on hotly contested #2020census citizenship question from @uscensusbureau & @CommerceGov for lawsuit led by @NewYorkStateAG — and my editor @LuisClemens & I read them: apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

2. In memo to Commerce Sec Wilbur Ross, Census Bureau Acting Dir. Ron Jarmin, other officials write adding citizenship Q “is very costly, harms the quality of the census count, & would use substantially less accurate citizenship status data than are available” from other agencies

3. To get citizenship estimates for #2020census, Census Bureau has been trying to get access to massive gov’t datasets -- Social Security Administration records, visa/passport data from State Dept & naturalization data from USCIS, according to draft bureau document

4. In 7/21/2017 email, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says “at the direction of Steve Bannon” he spoke with Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross about lack of citizenship question on census “a few months” before writing to Ross’s chief of staff, Wendy Teramoto

5. In 7/14/2017 email to Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross, Kris Kobach writes it’s a “problem” that “aliens who do not actually ‘reside’” in US are counted for congressional reapportionment, and he proposes wording for citizenship question that asks noncitizens about immigration status

6. REMINDER: Justice Dept sent Census Bureau letter in Dec 2017 requesting citizenship Q to better enforce Voting Rights Act. Acting head of DOJ civil rights division, John Gore, testified in Congress in May that he had no contact w Kobach abt DOJ request:

https://twitter.com/hansilowang/status/997468751275724800?s=21

7. Former Census Bureau Dir. Bruce Chapman, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, told Ross adding citizenship Q to #2020census “would make existing data on citizenship more accurate,” according to Ross’s notes of March 15 phone call

8. In memo to Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross about impact of adding citizenship Q to #2020census (“Alternative B”), Census Bureau’s chief scientist, acting director & other officials cite $27.5 million as “conservative estimate” of cost Q’s impact on level of noncitizen participation

9. UPDATE: I've reached out to @KansasSOS @KrisKobach1787 & @StevenKBannon and their spokespeople for comment on @CommerceGov emails about #2020census citizenship question. No replies so far.

@KansasSOS @KrisKobach1787 @StevenKBannon @CommerceGov 10. PRO TIP FOR MOBILE USERS: It's easier to read all 1,320 pages on #2020census citizenship question here: assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4500…

11. UPDATE from @CommerceGov spokesperson on email about census citizenship question from Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross via statement to @NPR👇— more here: n.pr/2JtMfoF