Nashville Standard

United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) has introduced the Equal Representation Act, a legislation aimed at ensuring that only legal citizens are counted for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections. The current practice of counting illegal immigrants for representation purposes is seen as a perverse incentive for open borders, as it boosts the political power of states and voters that welcome illegal immigration.

The legislation comes in response to a video that surfaced recently, in which a Democrat Congresswoman openly called for more illegal immigration to her New York congressional district for redistricting purposes. Currently, illegal immigrants are counted for congressional district apportionment and Electoral College votes. This means that states like California, with a large population of illegal aliens, end up with more congressional seats and Electoral College votes than their citizen population would justify. The result is an increase in the power of a Californian's vote compared to someone in another state with less population boost from illegal immigration. This creates a perverse incentive that encourages illegal immigration and resettlement for the purpose of increasing political power.

Senator Hagerty, along with a group of co-sponsors including Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), and others, is determined to address this issue. He states, "It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map. [...] I'm pleased to introduce this legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and will ensure that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting."

Senator Blackburn also emphasizes the importance of counting only U.S. citizens for congressional and Electoral College apportionment, stating, "Blue states may be losing citizens over their liberal policies, but they're making up for it by welcoming illegal immigrants. Democrats have admitted the quiet part out loud as they continue to justify their open border policies: they just need a higher headcount to help them acquire more seats in Congress and more dollars from the federal government. This is wrong and un-American."

The bill has garnered support from several other senators who believe that the census and apportionment process should not incentivize or encourage mass illegal migration. Senator Britt states, "Counting illegal aliens in the census and then awarding both more representation in Congress and more Electoral College votes to states with larger populations of illegal aliens effectively disenfranchises American citizens."

Senator Budd adds, "The basic function of the census is to determine an accurate makeup of our country. To ignore the fundamental distinction between legal citizens and illegal aliens produces not only inaccurate data but creates an incentive for policies that encourage illegal immigration."

The Equal Representation Act aims to address these concerns and ensure that the census and apportionment process accurately reflects the number of American citizens in each state. It calls for a citizenship question on the census, putting the focus on counting only citizens for federal elections and representation.

In conclusion, Senator Hagerty, along with his colleagues, is taking a stand against the counting of illegal immigrants for determining electoral college votes and congressional district apportionment. They believe that only legal citizens should be counted for these purposes, as counting illegal immigrants creates a perverse incentive for illegal immigration and dilutes the power of American citizens' votes. The Equal Representation Act seeks to rectify this issue and ensure a fair and accurate representation of the American population in Congress and the Electoral College.