States ask that Trump’s district drawing order be stopped

A coalition of states, cities and civil rights groups on Friday asked a federal judge to declare as unconstitutional President Donald Trump’s order seeking to exclude people in country illegally from being part of process for redrawing congressional districts.

coalition, led by New York state, in court papers asked U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in New York to stop Trump’s order from being implemented and declare that it violated U.S. Constitution and laws governing taking of once-a-decade census.

In alternative, coalition asked judge to stop any action from being taken on order until he can make a final ruling.

Every resident of a state is traditionally counted during apportionment, but Trump last month issued a directive seeking to bar people in U.S. illegally from being included in headcount as congressional districts are redrawn. Trump said including m in count “would create perverse incentives and undermine our system of government.”

At least a half dozen lawsuits have been filed seeking to halt directive, but New York case is furst along. Opponents say Trump’s order is an effort to suppress growing political power of Latis in U.S. and to discriminate against immigrant communities of color.

Furman on Friday also granted coalition’s request for case to be heard by a panel of three judges since case involves questions about what is constitutional when it comes to redrawing congressional districts, process kwn as apportionment. case also requires a three-judge panel, Furman said, since it alleges that Census Bureau would have to use statistical modeling to calculate how many people are living in U.S. illegally, which is prohibited in calculating population for apportionment.

move to a three-judge panel would allow case to take a more direct path to U.S. Supreme Court.