(Washington, D.C.)- The Trump administration must continue data collection for the 2020 Census beyond the Oct. 5 end date abruptly decided by Secretary Ross earlier this week, Judge Lucy Koh in the Northern District of California ruled on Thursday night.

In her ruling, Judge Koh has ordered Census Bureau Director Steve Dillingham to notify all Census Bureau employees that data collection will not end on October 5. Dillingham must also provide proof of notification to the court to show his ultimate compliance. The following is a statement from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:

“This ruling makes it explicitly clear that the Trump administration must continue counting the Census through Oct. 31, ensuring our most vulnerable and underrepresented communities will not be disadvantaged by an incomplete count. The administration's attempt to stop the Census operations early was distinctly aimed at depriving racial minorities and other marginalized communities of the federal resources and political representation they rightfully deserve. With this directive, Judge Koh has shown that partisan schemes to undermine our democracy are intolerable.”

Background:

Anyone who has not yet responded to the 2020 Census should respond as soon as possible.  If you have any questions about how to answer the Census, you can call the Census Bureau at 844-330-2020, or the Lawyers’ Committee’s Census Hotline at 888-COUNT20 (888-286-6820).

Read the full ruling here.