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Immigrants and the Census: Myths, Facts and Messages

Immigrants and the Census: Myths, Facts and Messages

(From pages 7-8 of toolkit)

Myth: Undocumented immigrants should not be counted by the census.

Fact: Everyone counts in the census, regardless of immigration status. The census is required to count every “person” living in the United States, regardless of legal status. Census statistics are used to figure out what kind of services each community needs, including schools, hospitals and health clinics, and jobs. Census information is used to figure out which communities have enough people who speak languages other than English so as to require services in other languages.

Myth: Immigrants can avoid the census by not completing their census form.

Fact: The census bureau will follow up in person to households that don’t return forms. People who don’t return a form by April 1 could have census workers come to their home up to six times to try to get a form completed. People who return a completed census form will not be contact by the Census Bureau.

Myth: Immigrants don’t benefit from the census.

Fact: Everyone, including immigrants, benefits from investments in education, health care, and jobs that are distributed based on census information. And census data are also used in ways that are of special importance to immigrants, including: Funding for nonprofit organizations to provide job assistance aimed at making foreign-born people economically self-sufficient. Helping states and local agencies develop services tailored to the language and cultural diversity of immigrants, including health care. Protecting the right to vote by evaluating voting practices of states, counties, and school districts under the Voting Rights Act. Evaluating the effectiveness of equal opportunity employment programs and policies under the Civil Rights Act; Allocating funds to school districts for children with limited English language proficiency.

Myth: Answering the census could get me in trouble with immigration or my landlord.

Fact: Your safety and privacy are protected. The census form does not ask about immigration status. Census responses are completely confidential, protected by the strongest national privacy laws on the books. That’s why national immigrant rights organizations, Latino organizations, and civil rights organizations are telling people to complete the forms. Every census worker takes an oath to keep information confidential for life. A census worker or other government official who violates census confidentiality can be imprisoned for up to five years and fined $250,000. No other government agency – not even immigration officials, law enforcement or the courts – can get any person’s individual census information for the next 72 years. No private company – no landlord, employer, bank, or creditor – can get any person’s individual census information, even with a court order. Participating in the census is simple and safe. The only harm would come from not being counted.

Myth: Immigrants can gain influence by threatening to boycott the census.

Fact: Boycotting the census can only hurt immigrant communities and limit their influence. Boycotting the census is a terrible idea – it doesn’t do anything to help us. If the census shows smaller numbers of people in our communities, it will mean fewer resources and services for the next 10 years. Getting everyone counted will demonstrate the strength of our communities and will give us a bigger voice in government, business, and decisions that affect our lives and families. Everyone should be counted, no matter what their legal status. Census information helps identify where people are being denied opportunities and where action is needed to help protect civil rights. If immigrants are under-reported, civil rights enforcement could be weakened. Participation in the census is required by law; ignoring the law is a bad way to build influence with lawmakers and other policymakers.