Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA) recently led more than 40 House Republicans in introducing the Make Apportionment Great Again (MAGA) Act. If passed, the legislation would require a reapportionment before the 2028 election and add a U.S. citizenship question to the 2030 census and beyond.
What is the central aim of this legislation? The MAGA Act aims to ensure that non-citizens no longer distort congressional representation and Electoral College vote distribution.
It will do this by amending the Census Act of 1929 to explicitly add “individuals who are not citizens of the United States” to the list of exclusions from the congressional apportionment base.
It also mandates that a three-judge district court panel expedite judicial challenges to the implementation of these provisions.
What Rep. Andrew Clyde had to say on the MAGA Act:
- “U.S. elections and representation are for the sole participation and benefit of American citizens. While we wait for the Senate to finally take action on the SAVE America Act, we must also recognize that the ballot box is not the only way non-citizens can impact American elections. Counting all residents regardless of citizenship in the U.S. census allows non-citizens, including illegal aliens, to influence the makeup of congressional seats and the distribution of Electoral College votes.”
- “Republicans have long warned that Democrats' intentional illegal invasion and sanctuary policies are rooted in a desire to boost blue states' power. Amid high stakes and slim margins, Congress must act before the 2028 elections to ensure only American citizens decide how congressional maps are drawn and who resides in the White House.”
Further Context: Current statute requires the U.S. Census Bureau to record each state’s total population for the purpose of apportioning congressional seats.
This means non-citizens, both legal and illegal, are included in the count that decides congressional apportionment.
Since Electoral College votes are allocated based on states’ U.S. congressional delegation, two votes for U.S. Senators plus the number of U.S. House Representatives, non-citizens also impact the distribution of Electoral College votes.
