"We are pleased to say that two pieces of our ICE Out package, which take a clear stand against the appalling actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), were passed...in a strong show of support by the Common Council."
Milwaukee, WI: "Statement on passage of ICE Out legislation by the Common Council," 3/3/26: ...
Good to see this out. For more on these matters, see georgetownlawtechreview.org/wp-content/u...
What‘s interesting about this…natural experiment; admission of need to do better this time, concrete steps proposed, testable…let’s see how the city does this time…
race is such a “handy” variable. it saturates demographic measurement in us and predecessor colonies. 1783, revolutionaries set a metric for allocating requisitions to pay for the army and war. After the Declaration…before the Constitution. Slaves worth 3/5th of free persons. Actionable.
“algorithmic” decision making has a long ‘history’ in the history of data and statistics. Alain Desrosieres, The Politics of Large Numbers [Eng. translation], Harvard, 1998, esp. the concept of “making things that hold” – can be actionable.
...and literally a man on a white horse...
Milwaukee, WI: Now…”What do we do about ICE? 3rd District Town Hall... THIS EVENING - Monday, February 2 - meeting REMINDER from Alderman Alex Brower.” Overflow crowd, line to get in snaked around the block, watching on Facebook if not in the room. Looks like there’s a lot of interest. Tks Alex!
Estimates report for July 2025, first half year of Trump II. Expect more decline from historic immigration patterns, given intensification of anti-immigrant policies. Watch for breadcrumbs: reports on labor force size, consumption patterns. Demographers on the lookout, www.aapss.org/fellows-corn...
More commentary on the release of the Census Bureau release of the 2025 Population Estimates:
jedkolko.substack.com/p/four-takea...
119TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. ll To require the congressional districts established by a State to meet certain requirements, to prohibit States from carrying out more than one con- gressional redistricting after a decennial census and apportionment, to exclude aliens without lawful status under the immigration laws from number of persons used to determine apportionment of representatives and number of electoral votes, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. LAWLER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on llllllllllllll A BILL To require the congressional districts established by a State to meet certain requirements, to prohibit States from carrying out more than one congressional redistricting after a decennial census and apportionment, to exclude aliens without lawful status under the immigration laws from number of persons used to determine apportion- ment of representatives and number of electoral votes, and for other purposes.
On the heels of Lawler’s ICE backpedal op ed, he releases a bill that radically limits counting of immigrants for apportionment, contrary to 14A lawler.house.gov/uploadedfile...
In other words, as well, putting a citizenship question on the 2030 census. Very problematic after the 2020 controversy.
2025 US Population estimates released today:
www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...
Commentary starting:
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
Popclock…..
If one is interested in the mechanics of historical parallels, see
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Yup
See list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence and signers' resistance: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." www.archives.gov/founding-doc...
Susie Wiles = the 2025 version of Edith Wilson?
Not Enough. Cong wrote the 15th Amend., ratified in 1870, much simpler:
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude“
constitution.congress.gov/constitution...
Apportionment! The 13th Amend, nullified the 3/5ths Comp. Without addressing the “right to vote,” Cong [and Frederick Douglass] recognized that former slave states would end up with more Reps in the House than they had before 1861. The language of Section 2 was the first stab at that problem....
Boning up on the wartime amendments as the Supremes take up birthright citizenship. Start of a short primer, on what else is in the 14th – voting…
constitution.congress.gov/constitution...
Five sections….so far the biggy is Section 1.
But, read on to Section 2: ...
And thanks for organizing us!
Yes.
...They wrote the algorithm that apportions “according to their respective numbers….” Spoiler alert: the filibuster isn’t in the Constitution.
Folks arguing about numbers, how many states [add DC and Puerto Rico maybe], what it takes to pass a bill in the Senate, [50+1 or 60]. Why only 2 senators no matter how “big” the state is - framers worried about that too....
....which was a tried and true technique in the past. Ex: In 1889-90, Cong admitted ND, SD, WY, ID, WA, MT. 12 senators, 7 reps. Total pop for the 6 states - ~same size as city of Chicago at the time. Worked for Republicans!
....Cong. could “add” them to the House, growing the body from 425 to 430 or 431 members. Or Cong. could reapportion the whole House, keeping the body at 425 members and taking away seats from other states.
