Amendment would strip representation from high-immigration states
H.J.Res. 37 — Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide that Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the number of persons in each State who are citizens of the United States. · Filed by Warren Davidson (R-OH) · 6 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 6, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would change how House seats are apportioned among states. Currently, apportionment is based on total population (including non-citizens); this amendment would count only U.S. citizens. The effect would shift representation away from states with larger non-citizen populations (typically high-immigration states) toward states with higher citizen-only populations.
Why we flagged it
The bill proposes a structural change to how House representation is calculated and distributed among states, shifting the basis from total population to citizen-only population. This is a direct reallocation of political power, not a new program or regulatory change.
What the text implies
- States with large undocumented or temporary-visa populations (California, Texas, Florida, New York) would lose House seats and Electoral College votes, while states with lower immigration would gain both.
- The amendment does not define 'citizen' or specify how citizenship would be verified in the decennial census, creating potential implementation ambiguity.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Citizens in high-immigration states would lose direct representation in Congress, reducing their voice in federal lawmaking. Citizens in lower-immigration states would gain representation.