DOJ Appoints New Legal Team to Take on Census Question

A new team of lawyers is taking over the U.S. census case for the Department of Justice, a shakeup that comes as President Donald Trump continues his push to include a contentious citizenship question in the decennial population survey, ABC News reports.

The new team will be a mix of career and political appointees, including lawyers who work in the consumer protection branch.

“As will be reflected in filings tomorrow in the census-related cases, the Department of Justice is shifting these matters to a new team of Civil Division lawyers going forward," DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement Sunday.

"Since these cases began, the lawyers representing the United States in these cases have given countless hours to defending the Commerce Department and have consistently demonstrated the highest professionalism, integrity, and skill inside and outside the courtroom."

"The Attorney General appreciates that service, thanks them for their work on these important matters, and is confident that the new team will carry on in the same exemplary fashion as the cases progress,” Kupec added.

Additionally, ABC reported that James Burnham, the deputy attorney general in the department’s civil division, will be leaving the legal team.

The report didn't mention a reason for the shift.