H.R. 5156: Citizen Only Updated National Tally Act

This bill, known as the Citizen Only Updated National Tally Act, aims to direct federal agencies to collect and compile better data regarding the citizenship status of individuals living in the United States. The main objectives of the bill include:

1. Data Collection Policy

The legislation establishes a policy to develop comprehensive and accurate statistics on the number of citizens, noncitizens, and illegal aliens in the U.S. This data is intended to help understand the impacts of immigration and to support policymakers in creating and assessing immigration-related laws and policies.

2. Assistance from Federal Agencies

Each federal agency is required to assist the Department of Commerce in determining citizenship statistics. This assistance includes providing access to administrative records that may aid in these efforts.

3. Specific Records Required

Several federal agencies are tasked with examining their records and providing access to the Department of Commerce. These include:

• Department of Homeland Security, which must provide records related to Lawful Permanent Residents and naturalizations.
• Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, specifically regarding nonimmigrant visas.
• Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection, including data on entry and exit transactions.
• Data related to refugees and asylum granted by the Departments of Homeland Security and State.
• Department of State's national-level passport application information.
• Social Security Administration's Master Beneficiary Records.
• Department of Health and Human Services' Medicaid and CHIP records.

4. Coordination of Records Collection

The Director of the Bureau of the Census will set up an interagency working group to ensure maximum availability of citizenship-related records from various agencies. This group will aim to create systems that help determine citizenship status for everyone living in the U.S.

5. Inclusion of Citizenship Question in Census

The Secretary of Commerce will be tasked with initiating processes to add a citizenship question to the 2030 census. This also involves adapting other surveys, like the American Community Survey, to collect better citizenship data. Additionally, there will be efforts to enhance the reach of the American Community Survey.

6. Access to State Administrative Records

The Department of Commerce will work to obtain relevant administrative records from state governments. The Secretary is required to report annually to Congress on the progress of these efforts, including identifying states that refuse to provide necessary records.

7. Termination of Differential Privacy

After six months following the bill's enactment, the Bureau of the Census would cease using the differential privacy process, which is designed to protect individual data. The Bureau is tasked with issuing guidance on how personal data privacy will be maintained without this process.

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