Ensuring Full Participation in the Census Act of 2026

Summary

Prohibits the decennial census and any related survey instruments from asking about citizenship, nationality, or immigration status of respondents, their family members, or household members, while allowing the American Community Survey (ACS) to continue asking such questions. The bill also establishes an official short title but contains no new funding, deadlines, or agency directives beyond the change to the census statute. The change is implemented by amending the federal census statute to add the prohibition and to preserve the ACS exception; enforcement and operational decisions would fall to the Census Bureau under the revised statutory language.

• Prevents citizenship, nationality, or immigration-status questions on the decennial census and related surveys.
• The prohibition applies to questions about respondents, their family members, and household members.
• The American Community Survey (ACS) is explicitly exempted and may continue to ask such questions.
• Changes are made by amending the federal census statute.
• No new funding, deadlines, or agency-specific directives are included.
• Establishes an official short title for the Act but that provision has no operational effect.
• Operational responsibility for implementing the statutory change rests with the Census Bureau under existing authority.
• Affects how population counts used for apportionment and many federal/state/local uses will be collected, though it does not alter those uses directly.