Trump Administration Reviews Census Racial and Ethnic Data Standards
A Trump administration official has confirmed a review of the racial and ethnic categories previously approved for the 2030 census and other federal government forms.
Background on Current Standards
The standards for collecting data on race and ethnicity were last updated in 2024 during the Biden administration, following research by the Census Bureau and public input. These revisions included the addition of new checkboxes for "Middle Eastern or North African" and "Hispanic or Latino" under a reconfigured "What is your race and/or ethnicity?" question. The changes also mandated that the federal government no longer automatically classify individuals identifying with Middle Eastern or North African groups as white.
Advocates for these approved categories have expressed concerns that any modifications could affect the accuracy of census data and other future statistics. This data is utilized for purposes such as redrawing voting districts, enforcing civil rights protections, and guiding policymaking.
Official Confirmation of Review
Mark Calabria, the chief statistician within the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB), announced the initiation of a new review into these standards and the approval process for the 2024 revisions. During a meeting of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics in Washington, D.C., Calabria stated, "We're still at the very beginning of a review. And this, again, is not prejudging any particular outcome. I think we just wanted to be able to take a look at the process and decide where we wanted to end up on a number of these questions." He added, "I've certainly heard a wide range of views within the administration. So it's just premature to say where we'll end up."
OMB's press office did not provide an immediate response to NPR's request for comment.
Policy Context and Previous Actions
Calabria's remarks represent the first public confirmation that Trump administration officials are considering alternatives to the recently approved racial and ethnic category changes. These considerations align with the administration's broader policy reviews concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as federal data collection methodologies.
In September, OMB had affirmed that the Biden-era revisions "continue to be in effect" when announcing a six-month extension to the 2029 deadline for federal agencies to adopt the new data collection standards. Calabria indicated that this delay provided agencies additional time for implementation "while we review."
The previous Trump administration had delayed the process for revising racial and ethnic data standards relevant to the 2020 census.
Differing Perspectives
The conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, through its "Project 2025" policy agenda, has called for a Republican administration to "thoroughly review any changes" to census race and ethnicity questions. The stated rationale behind this call includes "concerns among conservatives that the data under Biden Administration proposals could be skewed to bolster progressive political agendas."
Conversely, proponents of the changes view the new categories and revisions as necessary updates to enhance the reflection of diverse identities. Meeta Anand, senior director of census and data equity at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, stated, "At stake is a more accurate and deeper understanding of the communities that comprise our country." She added, "I am not concerned if it's reviewed in an honest attempt to understand what the process was. I am concerned if it's for a predetermined outcome that would be to ignore the entire process that was done in a very transparent manner."