U.S. Supreme Court blocks Ross questioning in national census suit

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday blocked a judge's order forcing Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to give a deposition in a lawsuit by 18 states challenging a controversial citizenship question being added to the 2020 national census.

The justices issued a stay of the Sept. 21 order by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan requiring Ross to face questioning by lawyers for the states while litigation over the politically charged dispute continues.