Lake County Gazette

Jim Carris, the Republican candidate for the 10th Congressional District, has raised concerns about the growing number of undocumented immigrants in the United States, warning that their inclusion in congressional representation could significantly alter the balance of power.

Carris, who is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL), criticized Schneider for his recent vote against an amendment to the census that would prevent illegal aliens from being counted towards congressional apportionment.

"The U.S. is currently experiencing public safety and economic crises as a record number of undocumented immigrants illegally enter and reside in states across our country,” Carrris told the Lake County Gazette.

“Congress’ current priority, alongside our executive branch, should be to immediately close our borders, then determine an accurate identification and count of all noncitizens in each state before determining any next steps with regard to the census.” 

Schneider, along with 201 other House Democrats, opposed the Equal Representation Act, which seeks to exclude illegal aliens from the Electoral College count. Proposed as HR 7109, the Act proposes a citizenship question on the census and adjusts representative apportionment based solely on U.S. citizens. 

Despite bipartisan support, with 206 unanimous "Yea" votes from House Republicans, the bill awaits Senate deliberation. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC), the sponsor of H.R. 7109, reiterated the importance of electoral integrity, stating that voting is a cherished privilege for American citizens.

The topic is of importance in that illegal aliens registered by the census do count towards the allotment of congressional seats. “U.S. Constitution mandates that a census be carried out every ten years, where everyone who is present in the United States, regardless of their citizenship and immigration status, is counted,” Edwards said in a speech on the House floor. 

“But the Constitution does not specify whether noncitizens or illegal aliens must be counted for the purpose of apportioning House seats.”

The impact in Illinois would be pronounced if illegal aliens are counted towards the Census. 

During the last apportionment following the 2020 Census, Illinois lost a congressional seat, weakening the state’s power at the federal level. 

The jockeying over whether to count illegal aliens toward congressional apportionment has become more pronounced in Illinois and other state’s facing declining populations.  

In 2023, Illinois was ranked second in the nation for outbound migration marking a decade straight in which it experienced population decline, according to United Van Lines, with 61.3% of total migration leaving the state. 

This marks the continuation of a ten-year trend of population loss, attributed largely to job opportunities. 

The exodus, primarily driven by wealthier residents, underscores concerns over Illinois' tax burden and public policy, prompting calls for property tax and state tax reforms to stem the outflow and address the state's pension deficit.  

Meanwhile, Illinois has seen an influx of illegal immigrants since border controls were lifted early in the Biden Administration. 

Under the current administration, approximately 7.2 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States, a number surpassing the populations of 36 states. An additional 1.8 million individuals are also considered “gotaways” who evaded law enforcement while entering the country.   

Critics argue that this record-breaking surge in illegal immigration is a consequence of deliberate policy choices by the Biden administration with some saying the end goal is indeed to buttress the power of failing Democrat states whose residents have sought refuge elsewhere.