Every ten years the U.S. Census reconfigures Congressional districts based on the entire state population. That means all residents, including illegal immigrants. California gained a House seat and another electoral vote in 2000 from the Census. But some lawmakers in Washington say illegal immigrants shouldn't be factored into population counts that are used to determine Congressional districts. Jill Morrison reports from Capitol Hill.
Michigan Republican Representative Candice Miller says the Census unfairly favors states like California.
Miller: "There are some in Southern California where forty, fifty percent of the people that live in their districts are not even U.S. Citizens."
Inspired by Michigan losing a House seat in 2000, Miller proposed an amendment to the constitution to only count legal U.S. citizens. But southern California Republican Congressman Darrel Issa opposes the measure.
Issa: "The fair distribution would include all people regardless of their status."
Issa says ultimately he wants to curb illegal immigration, but he says all people should be counted since they consume services of the state. From Capitol Hill, Jill Morrison, KPBS News.
