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Michigan’s two senators and Rep. Debbie Dingell said Thursday they want the U.S. Census Bureau to include a new category in the 2020 Census for people of Middle East and North Africa descent.

“Excluding the MENA category has serious ramifications for members of these communities, many of whom live in the State of Michigan,” wrote Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and Dingell, D-Dearborn. “We all want to improve the accuracy of the Census, and it is our belief that including a broad MENA category would help us achieve this shared goal.”

While the Census Bureau estimates the number of Arab Americans in the United States at 1.8 million, the Arab American Institute estimates the population is closer to 3.7 million. In Michigan, the Census estimates the population is at 191,600, while the Arab American Institute estimates more than 500,000 Arab Americans live in the state.

Congress would need to approve a creating a new category. The Census Bureau is studying the idea of including the Middle East/North Africa category and asked for comments on the idea. People from other ethnic origins are allowed to claim ancestry.

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