Updated

The Trump administration is renewing efforts to exclude millions of US residents, including noncitizens, from a key census count used to draw congressional districts, despite the 14th Amendment's requirement to count the 'whole number of persons' in each state. Critics argue the effort is designed to shift political power toward Republican-leaning states and could distort representation nationwide. In a related setback for the administration's redistricting push, a Trump-backed congressional map in Missouri was effectively blocked, according to morning news reports, adding to legal challenges facing efforts to redraw district lines ahead of the midterms. The ruling represents a concrete check on the broader push to reshape voting maps in the GOP's favor.