U.S. Census May Add Middle East-North Africa Ethnic Classification

The U.S. Bureau of the Census will test out the inclusion of a Middle East-North Africa classification in its 2020 survey of the national population, according to the Associated Press, provided the Commerce Department bureau has received sufficient positive feedback on the move by Sunday, when the public comment period ends. The National Network of Arab American Communities, explaining that "no community should be invisible, has said 5,000 positive comments would cause the Census Bureau to test the new classification. The AP reports that Arab-Americans would make up the majority of those covered by the "MENA" umbrella. People whose heritages would fall under the new classification have previously been classified as white by default, the AP notes.