Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican from Mississippi, has joined forces with U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty from Tennessee to cosponsor the 'Equal Representation Act.' The proposed legislation aims to address the impact of counting illegal immigrants in determining congressional apportionment and Electoral College votes.

Hyde-Smith expressed her concern about the current system, stating, "The current system of counting illegal immigrants for apportionment unfairly diminishes Mississippians’ status in everything from congressional representation to access to federal programs. It’s not right." She believes that the Equal Representation Act offers a solution to rectify this issue and restore trust in the democratic process.

Hagerty echoed Hyde-Smith's sentiments, calling it "unconscionable" that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are included in the count for congressional district apportionment and the electoral map. He criticized the practice, claiming that it artificially boosts the political power of certain states and dilutes the power of other Americans' votes. Hagerty emphasized the importance of ensuring that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting and proposed including a citizenship question on the census.

The Equal Representation Act was prompted by a video that surfaced, revealing a Democrat Congresswoman openly advocating for more illegal immigration to her New York congressional district for redistricting purposes. This incident highlighted the perverse incentive created by the current method of counting illegal immigrants, leading to a disproportionate allocation of congressional seats and Electoral College votes.

For example, states like California, with a high population of illegal alien residents, receive several more congressional seats and Electoral College votes. This disparity increases the power of a Californian's vote relative to an individual in another state. The Equal Representation Act aims to address this issue by ensuring that only legal U.S. citizens are factored into the count for congressional districts and the Electoral College map.

The proposed legislation has garnered support from several other Republican senators, including Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, Katie Britt, Ted Budd, Bill Cassidy, M.D., Kevin Cramer, Mike Crapo, Steve Daines, James Lankford, Mike Lee, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, Pete Ricketts, Jim Risch, Mike Rounds, Eric Schmitt, John Thune, Tommy Tuberville, and J.D. Vance.

The Equal Representation Act seeks to rectify the inequities caused by counting illegal immigrants in determining electoral votes and congressional district apportionment. It aims to ensure that only legal U.S. citizens are counted, promoting fairness and restoring trust in the democratic process.