Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia is introducing the Make Apportionment Great Again (MAGA) Act, which would change how congressional seats are allocated based on population counts to only include U.S. citizens. This shift could significantly reduce representation in states with high immigrant populations such as California and New York. A 2024 report by the Center for Immigration Studies indicates that immigrants have led to a net increase of 14 House seats in Democratic-leaning states, while Republican-leaning states lost 10 seats compared to what they would otherwise have. The bill proposes adding a citizenship question to the 2030 census and could face legal challenges given the Constitution's current directive for counting all persons in each state.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
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Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., is introducing legislation that would only count citizens when deciding how many House representatives each state gets, called the Make Apportionment Great Again (MAGA) Act.
right Advocates a policy to exclude non-citizens from representation.
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It would be a fundamental change in congressional representation across the country, particularly hitting states where the most noncitizens live.
right Implies negative consequences for areas with high immigrant populations.
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The legislation would not require a new census after 2020, instead forcing states to rely on existing records to reapportion by sometime in 2027.
right Supports policy changes that reduce immigrant influence.
Leaning score +0.45 for article 9823 (high confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-15
A new House GOP proposal targeting the nation's congressional map could kneecap blue states and dramatically change their representation on Capitol Hill.
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proposal → target → Hill
Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., is introducing legislation that would only count citizens when deciding how many House representatives each state gets, called the Make Apportionment Great Again (MAGA) Act.
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state → introduce → Apportionment
It would be a fundamental change in congressional representation across the country, particularly hitting states where the most noncitizens live.
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noncitizens → hit → states
The U.S. census has traditionally sought to count all people living within the country's borders, regardless of citizenship or even lawful status.
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census → seek → citizenship
According to the U.S. census website, immigrants — both citizens and noncitizens — make up a fifth of the population in California, New Jersey, New York and Florida.
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immigrants → accord → California
Illegal immigrants living in sanctuary jurisdictions are also in theory counted by the census.
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immigrants → live → census
A 2024 report by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) said immigrants, both legal and illegal, resulted in a "net increase" of 14 seats in Democrat-leaning states.
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immigrants → say → states
Republican states had 10 fewer seats than they otherwise would have, the report said.
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report → have → seats
The legislation would not require a new census after 2020, instead forcing states to rely on existing records to reapportion by sometime in 2027.
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legislation → require → 2027
It would, however, add a new question to the 2030 census, asking people whether they are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national but not a citizen, an alien lawfully residing in the United States, or an alien unlawfully residing in the United States.
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they → add → States
But Clyde's bill could see a significant legal battle in the courts, even if passed.
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bill → see → courts
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution states that House seats will be apportioned after "counting the whole number of persons in each State," not specifying citizenship status.
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seats → state → status
It could invite challenges from pro-immigrant groups and left-wing organizations that have long been critical of GOP election efforts.
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that → invite → efforts
Clyde's bill comes after a video clip resurfaced in July that appears to show Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., claiming she needs more immigrants in her district "just for redistricting purposes."
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she → come → purposes
The video, from a 2021 House Foreign Affairs Committee briefing, shows longtime Democrat Clarke suggesting that the local Haitian community in Brooklyn could "absorb a significant number of these migrants.
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community → show → migrants
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"When I hear my colleagues talk about, you know, the doors of the inn being closed, no room in the inn, I’m saying, you know, I need more people in my district, just for redistricting purposes and those members could clearly fit here," said Clarke.
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Clarke → hear → purposes
Clarke's office did not respond to a request for comment at the time by Fox News Digital.
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office → respond → Digital
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