Alabama is in a predicament heading into the 2020 U.S. Census.

With low population growth, about 100,000 between 2010 and 2017, Alabama could lose a congressional seat as other states by virtue of more diverse economies, focused particularly in sprawling metropolitan areas such as Nashville, Atlanta and other familiar cities.

Not to suggest that Alabama hasn’t enjoyed a round of economic success, mostly through gains in the automotive industry, but the state continues to suffer from a brain-drain as young professionals and skilled workers take off for higher wages and more diverse opportunities.

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is creating a group to encourage wide participation in the Census across Alabama. At the same time, the state is suing the federal government over the practice of including immigrants living in the country illegally in Census.

The population numbers help determine federal funding for schools, roads and other programs. The data is also used to decide how many representatives a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

President Donald Trump is wanting a citizenship question added to the Census. U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross said the citizenship question will help create a more accurate census with block-level data on the citizen and non-citizen population. Those numbers will help enforce protections for minority voters under the federal Voting Rights Act.

Opponents to the president’s planned question contend it will discourage people from participating in the Census, whether they are citizens or undocumented. The fear in states that have larger immigrant populations is that will cost federal money for vital services.

Ivey’s fear about losing a congressional seat is legitimate. Consider that Southern states such as Florida and Texas have gained millions in population since 2010, and Alabama’s picture grows pale.

Alabama has seven congressional seats. After the Census, many House seats could easily be shifted to high-population growth states to even out representation.

For Alabama, the loss of a congressional seat, reduced funding for education and other programs would be a severe blow. The state is highly dependent on federal dollars to keep major public services at an above-marginal level.

Alabama’s lawsuit against the federal government for counting immigrants who are illegal will be an interesting legal issue in the future. The answer or final verdict to the state’s opposition to that practice will likely not come before the Census count is well into motion.

In this case, Ivey is right. Everyone needs to participate in the Census. The results can be the difference of maintaining or losing federal funding.