OMB reviews 2030 census race, ethnicity standards
OMB Chief Statistician Mark Calabria said Dec. 5 the Trump administration has begun reviewing 2024-approved federal standards for collecting race and ethnicity, including for the 2030 census, potentially reconsidering new Middle Eastern/North African and Hispanic/Latino checkboxes and the combined race/ethnicity question. The review follows OMB’s September notice extending agencies’ compliance deadline into 2029 while stating the Biden-era revisions remain in effect; advocates warn changes could undermine data used for redistricting and civil-rights enforcement.
📌 Key Facts
- OMB Chief Statistician Mark Calabria confirmed the review on Dec. 5 at the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics meeting in Washington, D.C.
- The 2024 revisions created a combined 'race and/or ethnicity' question and added MENA and Hispanic/Latino checkboxes, ending automatic categorization of MENA as white.
- OMB in September extended the agency compliance deadline by six months into 2029 while noting the 2024 standards remain in effect during implementation.
📊 Relevant Data
In the 2020 Census, approximately 3.5 million people reported Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent, representing about 1% of the total US population of 331 million.
3.5 Million Reported Middle Eastern and North African Descent in 2020 Census — U.S. Census Bureau
Relative to non-Hispanic Whites, Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans have a higher prevalence of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease.
Lack of Arab or Middle Eastern and North African Health Data Undermines Assessment of Health Disparities — National Institutes of Health
The MENA community experiences higher rates of heart disease and low birthweight compared to other groups, which are currently masked by classification as White in census data.
New Census race category could reveal hidden health disparities — Association of Health Care Journalists
The Hispanic population in the US reached 62.1 million in 2020, accounting for 19% of the total US population.
A brief statistical portrait of U.S. Hispanics — Pew Research Center
In the 2020 Census, the percentage of the Hispanic population reporting one race decreased from 81.6% in 2010 to 57.8% in 2020, with many identifying as 'some other race' or multiple races.
Self-Reported Hispanic Population by Race: 2010 and 2020 Census — U.S. Census Bureau
Undercounts in the census, such as the 3.30% undercount of the Black population in 2020, can affect political representation through misallocation of congressional seats and electoral votes.
Why census undercounts are problematic for political representation — Brookings Institution