re: Should illegal immigrants be counted on the census?

Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution states, in pertinent part:

quote:

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Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.

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The Constitution requires the counting of all "free persons." The drafters could have said "citizens." The drafters certainly knew the difference. They made a distinction between "free persons" and persons who were not free (meaning slaves) but they did not make a distinction between citizens and persons who reside here who are not citizens. There is no rational argument that a non-status alien living within a state is not a "free person."

This right wing argument that the census is or should
be restricted to "citizens" is typical right wing hogwash. There is absolutely no basis whatsoever for it. The Constitution says what it says.