Whites have been overcounted by at least 3.1 million in the last US Census because most people of “Middle Eastern” and “North African” origin have been counted as “white.”
This figure has emerged from a US Census Bureau announcement that for the next census, “Middle Eastern” and “North African” will be added to the choices available for questions about race and ethnicity.
According to the Bureau, people descended from places such as Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Syria have until now been encouraged to identify as white but will now have the option of identifying themselves in the new group.
The Bureau estimates that more than 3.1 million U.S. residents identify as Middle Eastern and North African, otherwise known as MENA.