Senate Minority Leader(D-N.Y.) ripped the Trump administration's decision to add a question on citizenship to the 2020 census and urged the courts to overturn the move.

“The census, written about and hallowed in the Constitution, is being distorted by this administration for political purposes.and Secretary Ross should be ashamed of themselves. Hopefully the courts will correct this glaring abuse," he said in a statement, referring to Commerce Secretary

The Commerce Department announced the decision on Monday evening over strong objections of Democrats, marking the first time it will be included in the census since 1950.

Democratic attorneys general in several states as well as progressive outside groups have pledged to bring legal action against the decision.

And Democratic lawmakers in Congress have condemned the decision as politically motivated and warned it will alienate immigrant communities after Trump's hardline rhetoric during the champaign.

"Adding a question designed to depress participation in certain communities is an assault on the foundations of this country. Given President Trump’s toxic rhetoric and aggressive policies toward immigrants, it’s clear his administration wants to include this question to discourage participation in immigrant communities," she said.

A group of Senate Democrats introduced legislation last week that would prohibit questions on citizenship or immigration status from being included on the census. House Democrats announced on Tuesday that they would file similar legislation.

But with Republicans in control of Congress, including over what gets a vote in both chambers, Democrats have limited options if they want to undo Trump's actions through legislation. A mammoth government funding bill, which would have been one of their best legislative leverage points, passed last week.

House Minority Leader(D-Calif.) called it a "a dog-whistle tactic." Meanwhile, Sen.(D-Calif.) said the administration was turning the census into a "political football."Feinstein added that she would "work with California’s leaders to have this citizenship question removed from the census.”Sen.(D-Ill.) added that "politics has no place in the census, but this administration will stop at nothing to push its anti-immigrant agenda."