In 2015, Chicago’s public health department identified three cases of invasive meningococcal disease, a highly dangerous pathogen that can kill within hours. To determine whether these cases signaled a larger outbreak, the department—which one of us, Dr. Julie Morita, led at the time—needed to know not just total cases, but the total population and demographics of affected areas.
The team turned to a pillar of our nation’s public health system: the U.S. The data showed that men who have sex with men—including gay and bisexual men—among the city’s Black population were disproportionately affected. That finding drove the health department’s response, which included working with community partners to surge thousands of free vaccines into neighborhoods across Chicago.
Instead of a larger and far deadlier outbreak, the outbreak ended with 11 cases in Chicago and one death. Census data informs every aspect of our nation’s public health system. As former leaders of local and federal health agencies, we have seen this firsthand.
Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has proposed radical changes to the census that would make our country less healthy, less safe, and less fair. The public comment period on this proposal closes on Nov. 2. Health leaders must move quickly to oppose these deeply misguided changes.
It is clear to us that these changes would amount not only to an assault on our public health system but also on the U.S. Per the Constitution, the federal government has carried out a national census every decade since 1790—through wars, depressions, and pandemics. Everyone who resides in our country matters and should be counted.
But the Trump Administration is suggesting that the census should intentionally exclude people. This includes undocumented residents and nonimmigrant visa holders, such as foreign national students and temporary workers whose visas may permit them to live in the U.S. for several years. The Administration is further attempting to remove demographic questions related to race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation from the census questionnaire.
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