The Erasure of Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants From the American Narrative: a Case For Adding a Mena Category to the United States Census

THE ERASURE OF MIDDLE EASTERN AND NORTH

AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS FROM THE AMERICAN

NARRATIVE: A CASE FOR ADDING A MENA

CATEGORY TO THE UNITED STATES CENSUS

SARAH JONNY*

I. INTRODUCTION

The Decision by the United States Census Bureau to exclude a “Middle

Eastern or North African” (MENA) category raises concerns about the ability of

the US Census Bureau to conduct an accurate count of the United States immi-

grant population.

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The resulting inaccuracies have severe consequences for these

populations. Without accurate data, these populations cannot access needed aid

and government services. Overall, this lack of information leads to a huge blind

spot regarding bias and discrimination affecting these immigrants. This Current

Development argues the US Census Bureau should include a MENA category in

the census to generate data about these populations and adopt the combined

question with detailed checkboxes model to produce the best data about MENA

immigrant communities. First, this Current Development will review the current

census form and its categories. Then it will recount the efforts to incorporate a

combined question with a detailed checkboxes model. Finally, it will explain

why a separate category is necessary to promote the well-being of MENA

individuals.

II. THE US CENSUS

A. Purpose of the Census

Accurate census data is vital to the function of our democracy. The popula-

tion count inf‌luences the design of state legislative districts and grants a certain

allocation of seats in the United States House of Representatives.

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Furthermore,

over 600 billion dollars each year are appropriated to communities across the

* Sarah Jonny, J.D. Candidate, 2021, Georgetown University Law Center; B.A. Political Science/

International Affairs, 2017, University of California, Riverside. © 2021, Sarah Jonny.

1. Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Count in the 2020 Census, ARAB AM. INST., https://static1.

squarespace.com/static/5c96c17de5f7d145081a1f94/t/5d5f0a721aabda00017d6163/1566509682639/

2019LD_Census_Issue_Brief.pdf (last visited Apr. 24, 2021).

2. Why We Conduct the Decennial Census, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, https://www.census.gov/

programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/why.html (last updated April 16, 2020).

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