President Trump said the entity would focus on cutting government waste and slashing federal regulations, and he put tech billionaire and adviser Elon Musk in charge.
The order came in response to a memo released by the Office of Management and Budget last week directing agencies to freeze funding for federal grants and other programs.
Growing numbers of Latinos turned a mysterious census category into the country's second-largest racial group. Researchers say that makes it harder to address racial inequities over the next decade.
The Trump administration had stalled on reviewing the proposals, which the Census Bureau says would produce more accurate data about Latinos and people with roots in the Middle East or North Africa.
