OMB adds Middle Eastern and North African category to federal race standards

The Office of Management and Budget revises federal race and ethnicity data standards on March 28, 2024, for the first time since 1997. The revisions create a Middle Eastern or North African category and combine race and ethnicity questions into one recommended format. Civil rights groups and researchers say the change can improve visibility for communities that were often counted as white despite distinct experiences of discrimination. Federal agencies must update data collection over time. Racial classification in federal data affects civil rights enforcement, public health research, representation, and how communities are seen by government.