President Donald Trump has instructed the Commerce Department to have the Census Bureau start work on a new census that would exclude immigrants who are in the United States illegally from the head count which determines political power and federal spending.

Trump sought to end counting undocumented immigrants in the last census, but the plan was challenged in the courts.

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the Commerce Department to begin work on a new census that excludes immigrants in the U.S. illegally, revisiting a push from his first term that was later rejected by the courts and reversed by his successor.