u.s. census begins, officials work to quell fears

8/3/2019 U.S. Census Begins, Officials Work to Quell Fears

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/us-census-begins-officials-work-to-quell-fears 1/9

5/12 U.S. Census begins, officials work to quell fears

ww.sfbg.com/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears

Your email

Comments (Optional)

The U.S. Census is using advertisements urging all people to be counted.

U.S. Census begins, officials work to quell fears

03.15.10 - 10:48 am | (14)

Share 56 (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?

u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfbg.com%2Fpolitics%2F2010%2F03%2F15%2Fus-census-begins-officials-work-quell-

fears&t=U.S.%20Census%20begins%2C%20officials%20work%20to%20quell%20fears&src=sp)

By Adrián Castañeda

Federal Census

(http://www.census.gov/)

forms are being mailed

out today, March 15. It’s

a massive government

effort to count everyone

who lives in the United

States that comesevery 10 years, and it’s

being matched by an

equally strong effort by

nonprofit groups to

ensure that even marginalized residents get counted.

In a country that once counted slaves as 3/5 a person and did not count Native

Americans at all, it appears that the 2010 census will come the closest to counting all

people living in the U.S. Millions of dollars are being spent to inform people of the

importance, and the function, of responding to the decennial census – and saving the

feds from spending further millions on door-to-door enumerating.

Among other things, the population count is used to determine the apportionment of

public funds to various communities and of seats in the U.S. House of

Representatives. Despite all the immigrant-bashing by right-wingers who claim to

revere the U.S. Constitution, that guiding document requires that all persons, not just

citizens, be counted. It is for this reason that special care is being taken to include the

historically undercounted communities such as low-income families, non-English

speakers, and immigrants both undocumented and documented.

For Alex Darr, office manager of the San Francisco census office that covers all of the

Mission and Bayview districts, the task is difficult but familiar. A veteran of the 2000





census, when some estimates say as many as 100,000 San Francsicans were not

counted, Darr says the census has evolved in both form and execution.

What used to be a multi-page document with as many as 52 questions per person has

now been whittled down to just 10. “Ten questions in ten minutes, we like to say around

here,” says Darr. The questions are of the most basic sort, requesting the age, sex and

race of every member of a household. It does not ask about citizenship. Even more

reassuring to immigrants, 2010 is the first census that will be available en Español .

Spanish language forms will be arriving in the Mission, but that and the laws that require

participation may not be enough to encourage people to respond.

The U.S. Census Bureau is actively recruiting bilingual speakers to work in the

Mission and educate residents of the importance of the census for things like social

services and infrastructure. Employing residents of the area, Darr says, will reassure

people that responding to the census is not a risk when census-takers begin knocking

on doors in late May because, “it’s easier to hear this from your neighbor.”

A document released by the census bureau estimates that for each percentage point of

the population that does not return its census form by the April 14 th deadline, the

government will spend $80-90 million sending out census-takers to visit homes. Darr

says that his office’s efforts will, “save [residents] some trouble, save the government

some money as well.” San Francisco’s census-takers, with a starting salary of $22 per

hour, will be among the highest paid in the country.

In addition to the boost in recruitment, Darr’s office has teamed up with a variety of

community organizations to form the Mission Complete Count Committee and build on

the existing relationships with residents. Rosario Anaya of the Mission Language and

Vocational School (MLDS) says students at the center are being urged to pass on

information about the census to their families and the building is being used as a

training center for census workers. Anaya says the response has been good but there

is hesitation. Some residents have told her, “We get counted but there’s no services

coming back to us.”

Joel Aguiar of the SF Day Laborer program says his group trained day laborers and

domestic workers to go out and engage their friends in discussion about the census.

“When they think of the census, they’re not going to think of somebody knocking on

their door,” Aguiar says of their program. Many of the workers are worried that by

responding to the census, they would put their housing at risk by inadvertently

revealing to the landlord or housing authorities how many live in their crowded homes.

But Aguiar says the laborers found that, “really a lot of their fears are unfounded.” Many

of the community groups in the Mission will also be hosting Questionnaire Assistance

Centers starting March 19th, with multilingual staffs to help anyone who needs help

filling out forms. Information on individual QAC sites and much more on the census will

be printed in El Tecolote’s late March issue.

MLDS is one of several groups who participated in conjunction with the city and the SF

Recreation and Parks Department in a community soccer tournament over the

weekend at Garfield Park. The tournament featured both adult and children’s teams

representing the various social justice groups as well as a team fielded by the census

bureau. Aguiar says the soccer games strengthened the census education effort by

“associating it with something which is already a community event.”

The Mission is also home to a number of single room occupancy hotels, or SROs, that

are another community that was vastly undercounted by the last census. “Many SROs

don’t have buzzers, have absent managers, or have managers who will not let us in,”





says Kendra Froshman of the Mission SRO Collaborative. In response, the Mission

SRO has joined a citywide coalition formed by the Community Housing Partnership to

push for legislation that would change SRO visitor policies to allow census workers to

enter.

The Mission is not the only area on Darr’s agenda. While citizenship is not a major

issue in Bayview-Hunter’s Point, investigation into the low mail-back rate after the 2000

census found that many residents did not return their forms simply because they did

not have a mailbox on their street. It remains unclear if mailbox distribution is one of the

many things the government uses census data to calculate, but for the 2010 census,the Postal Service and the Housing Authority have set up various locations in the

neighborhood where people can drop off their completed forms to be mailed.

“We are starting at a new beginning point for people to understand the importance of

being counted,” Bayview Census representative Omar Khalif says of the outreach

effort he has been working on since last July. Khalif attributes the low return rate to

misinformation, saying many of the people in the area are hesitant to divulge personal

information to the government despite being on government assistance and living in

government housing.

As part of the effort, many different groups, such as the SF Housing Development

Corporation, have come together to form the Bayview Complete Count Committee and

host a series of community events such as a Gospel feast on March 28, giving

residents a chance to win prizes for turning in their forms early. Flyers posted in

community centers urge residents that being counted could mean thousands of

government dollars in funding for their neighborhood. Working with all the established

groups has given the census office better access to an often-disenfranchised

community, Khalif says: “This is something that benefits us as a whole.”

The first census since the 9/11 attacks and the federal government crackdown that

followed has many has many people understandably worried about giving too much

personal information to the government. Census data is used by a variety of

government agencies as well as private entities for everything from allocating federalfunds to academic research and even advertising.

Many undocumented people fear that participating in the Census will tip off ICE agents.

However, personal census information, including names, is strictly confidential even to

other agencies within the government. "If the president asked me for your census form,

I can say 'No, you can't get it,'" U.S. Census Bureau Director, Robert Groves recently

told a crowd of immigrants in a Texas bordertown.

The long form of the 2000 census asked a variety of questions including employment,

living expenses, and citizenship. These questions are now found on the American

Community Survey (ACS), which is sent out every year to a small percentage of

homes and gives the Department of Commerce more up to date and in depth data onhow Americans live. Yet fears on both sides of the issue persist.

Some Latino advocacy groups such as the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and

Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC) have launched a campaign urging Latinos to boycott

the census until Congress passes comprehensive immigration reform. “Before you

count us you must legalize us,” proclaims the president and founder of CONLAMIC,

Rev. Miguel Angel Rivera, on his website. Similarly, several conservative politicians

have spoken out about counting non-citizens, as it will shift Congressional power and

federal money to areas with high populations of immigrants.

Conservative U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-Minnesota) briefly called for a boycott of





the census, saying on air that the survey is intrusive but does not ask the right

questions. “This would be your perfect opportunity to find out how many illegal aliens

are in [the] United States,” she suggested. She also cited the internment of Japanese-

Americans in World War II as a misuse of Census data. Census Bureau officials have

stated that the USA Patriot Act does not override the explicit, legally mandated

confidentiality of the census. Government assurances do little to quell public fears, but

it is possible that the boots on the ground work done by census takers and their

partners in the various community groups around the city will make the 23rd census a

success.

Comments

2010 Census (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears#comment-12946)

I refuse to answer more then 4 people live in my house (2 adults and 2 minors under age

18). What more does the Constitution require? Actually this is not even necessary and

Representatives should probably be calculated by registered voters not by all population.

Oh yes but somehow the Federal Government needs this for my local schools?

I wont even get into the racial question asked about if you are Mexican, Spanish, Cuban

or in the next question where the white, Asian and everyone else has there own

segregated question. What does this matter and why is this information of interest to the

Federal Government. I thought that equal rights was accomplished before I was born in

the late 60's and asking/poking into people's ethnicity is just plane wrong in this day in

age. NOTFB><

So bring on the fines and punishment!

You can't use the voter rolls (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-

fears#comment-12950)

You can't use the voter rolls to count people for some obvious reasons:

1) People under 18 can't vote

2) Resident aliens can't vote

3) Various felons can't vote4) Registering to vote is optional; many don't do it.

The results would be hopelessly misleading.

It's my understanding that race isn't a question this t ime around, although census forms

are being distributed in Spanish. Apparently it is a much simpler form than in previous

years.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 15, 2010 @ 2:37 pm

Posted by Tom Foolery on Mar. 15, 2010 @ 4:27 pm





US Census rhetoric (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears#comment-

12957)

The US Government lies to us all the time. Just how they used the US census, to locate

and place into detention Japanese-Americans during the Second world war. It could be

that this Decennial Census in reality is to seek out illegal aliens and deport them home?

It's "strictly confidential?" Yeah right. (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-

quell-fears#comment-12963)

However, personal census information, including names, is strictly confidential even to

other agencies within the government. " If the president asked me for your census form, I

can say 'No, you can't get it ,'" U.S. Census Bureau Director, Robert Groves recently told a

crowd of immigrants in a Texas bordertown.

--------------------------

Does anyone really believe that to be true? I don't believe it at all. Assuming one has been

paying close attention since 2000 to politics at the federal level (in particular), who in their

right mind would trust this corrupt, s leazy, barbaric, pro-war, pro-corporate, fascist

government on anything? Anyone heard of that HOMELAND (In)Security nonsense? Howabout the fascist USA "Patriot" Act which shreds the US Constitution? That despicable

Bush thing (the USA "Patriot" Act) was just extended for another year by the D and R

congress and signed by Mr "Hope" and "Change we can believe in" Obama. The ICE raids

are continuing under Mr "Change."

Whatever this government says, the opposite is the truth, except in a case such as this:

If they were to say, "We plan to drone Pakistan..." You can believe that to be true.

Exporting death and kill ing is a lead export for this nation.

Pretty Informative, Count Me In (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-


I think no matter what we do the fed govt already is keeping tabs on us. So count me in i f

it will mean more federal dollars to this beleaguered state. We need the $$! Unfortunately,

ICE will continue to find ways to deport illegal aliens. This will continue until the economy

improves and the right will stop using immigrant workers, legal or illegal, as scapegoats

for the rise in unemployment. Who they should really deport is all those investment and

loan bankers that have caused this mortgage banking debacle! Or at least put them on the

front lines coffee stewards in Afghanistan!

It's just a census, folks (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-


Maybe I shouldn't be surprised by these paranoid comments, but I am. Listen, I'm as

skeptical of the federal government as anyone, but the very notion of representative

democracy and equitable disbursement of federal funds relies on an accurate census.

There are explicit guarantees that census forms can't be used against us, including a ban

on using that info as evidence in court. The forms do ask our race, but why do people

think that's such a problem? C'mon, people, let's not let paranoia totally overwhelm our

sense of reason. And please don't let the anti-immigrant trolls sow fears in our immigrant


Posted by Sam on Mar. 15, 2010 @ 11:55 pm

Posted by Guest (http://www.mycampage.com/cabowebcam) on Mar. 16, 2010 @ 9:52 am





communities, which I'm sure they'll try to do.

Undocumented immigrants/migrant workers (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-

officials-work-quell-fears#comment-12979)

On many sites, I read the language "illegal aliens." I find that language repulsive,

offensive and disgusting. And I don't care which government officially uses. It'sdisgusting.

No human being is illegal or an alien. We are all citizens on this planet together. That

language usually comes from the rabid regressives, but I have seen some so-called

"progressives" mindlessly use it and they end up sounding as hateful as the rabid

regressives.

Some people are documented. Some are undocumented. I have a lot of respect for

migrant workers because they are just t rying to survive and feed themselves and their

familes...the same thing any intelligent person would do if one were in their same

situation. What goes around comes around. Should there be a major natural disaster here

in the States and a large population is forced to leave, where would people go? Either to

Canada or México. THEN who would be the "illegal alien?"

And I've yet to see one space ship for these "aliens" that some people thrive on hating.

I thank all people for their contributions to this nation, whether they are undocumented or

documented. Muchisimas Gracias.

I'd like for the trolls/haters to explain who will pick their food for them once they've

achieved their goal of removing all undocumented immigrants from this nation? Then

suddenly, they will want special visas to bring in undocumented workers....because the

trolls/haters are special. They think they shouldn't have to pay full price for *their* food.

Oh dear Sam (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears#comment-12987)

After all your complaining about your regressive's and whatnot, I harken back to your

comment.

"I agree. Unfortunately, many people need a "scapegoat"..."

I also find it interesting that the left still claims Orwell, your complaining that you (and

so many others) don't like certain common and correct usage of language is

interesting.

I wonder, do you call a late term abortion a "partial birth abortion," I can't imagine why

you don't?

And who will pick the food, well I'll leave that to Cesar Chavez

"Our potential competition appears almost unlimited as thousands upon thousands of

green carders pour across the border during peak harvest seasons. These are people

who, though lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, have not

now, and probably never had, any bona fide intention of making the United States of

America their permanent home. They come here to earn American dollars to spend in

Mexico where the cost of living is lower. They are natural economic rivals of those

who become American citizens or who otherwise decide to stake out their future in

this country. In abolishing the bracero program, Congress has but scotched the

snake, not killed it. The program lives on in the annual parade of thousands of illegal

and green carders across the United States-Mexico border to work in our fields. To

Posted by steven on Mar. 16, 2010 @ 11:01 am






achieve law and order in any phase of human activity, legislators must pay need to

other laws not made by man, one of which is the economic law of supply and

demand. We are asking Congress to pay heed to this law in the light of some hard

facts about farm labor supply along our southern border. Otherwise, extension of [the

National Labors Relations Act] coverage to farm workers in that part of the country

will not produce much law and order. What we ask is some way to keep the illegals

and green carders from breaking strikes; some civil remedy against growers who

employ behind our picket lines those who have entered the United States illegally,

and, likewise those green carders who have not permanently moved their residence

and domicile to the United States"

Illigal aliens are a major problem if they don't pay taxes.(/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears#comment-13010)

Yes everyone is a "citizen" of the planet Earth with certain human rights, if only they

paid taxes like every other citizen of an individual country. Why should any single

person recieve any type of governmental assis tance in any country, if they're not

willing to join that country and be a lawfull cit izen by paying taxes then they don't

deserve any type of assistance at all. I live in New Mexico, and this is the worst state

I have seen so far when it comes to illigal aliens. I personally know of about 50 plus

people who recieve state and government assistance and laugh about it to other

people. Most of them don't realize that I can understand spanish aand they say the

most terrible things about th U.S.A. and then get real scared and hurry away when I

say something in spanish and look directly at them. From now on mabe I should start

taking down licence plate numbers and call them in to the government. OH, wait, we

tried that, guess what, the government will tell you what they told me, "You need

proof". Well guess what, a person telling you that they're illigal isn't proof, and they

illigals get lawyer advice here from some group that's mailed to anyone with a

mexican name, my bother-in-law, he's f rom mexico, told me it's a packet that explains

in detail in, spanish only, how to sign up for all k inds of public s tate and federal aid

and exactly what to say and what to lie about to recieve it.

Illegal Aliens (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears#comment-13001)

Sam,

"Alien" is the official term for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen. So it's not a euphemism or

slur used by " rabid right-wingers". it's the official designation by the U.S. government. A

Green Card actually says "Resident Alien" on it.

I agree it's an ugly word that I'd also more normally associate more with a being from outer

space. But nonetheless, it is the official term.

As for the qualifier "illegal", it is also the correct term to use of anyone who breaks the law

which includes anyone entering the U.S. "illegally". It's the phrase the Supreme Court

uses. Having said that, we don't talk about " illegal bank robbers" or " illegal murderers". I t's

assumed.

But in terms of aliens, we want to differentiate those who pass through the correct

procedures and those who don't. And "undocumented migrant" is too much of a

euphemism for most folks. Someone who steals across the border isn't a migrant any

more than a mugger is an "unlicensed charity".

But of course the better question here is whether you support the breaking of immigration

laws. You should be clear about that regardless of what we call these people.

Posted by glen matlock on Mar. 16, 2010 @ 3:24 pm






"Aliens" and "Illegal" (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-fears#comment-

13129)

Well, they should change the terminology. They are st ill deserving of human rights and if

the USA claims to be the beacon of liberty then they should start giving the backbone of

our economy the dignity they deserve. When they're gone, who will provide the impetus for

agriculture and Southwestern economy? I thought so.

Sam, How about U.S. Citizens? (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-

quell-fears#comment-13214)

Sam,

How about U.S. Citizens? Oh wait, we won't work for pennies an hour. These people

are abused and taken advantage of by the greedy.

I hate the saying "They do jobs Americans won't do.", that is utter crap. Who do you

think did those jobs before the horde of illegal immigrants crossed the border? They're

cheap labor so they get the job and the legal U.S Citizen is put out of work.

What don't you understand about illegal? (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-

work-quell-fears#comment-13568)

Illegal aliens are criminals with no rights to be in the United States. What is so hard to

understand about that? If you are concerned about their rights go work with their country

of ci tizenship to improve the conditions in that country instead of rewarding them for

breaking the law.

And don't count non-citizens of any kind for the purpose of providing funds or allocating

representatives.

Finally, don't ask about race. Its illegal in this country to discriminate based on race.

There is no need to know race to effectively carry out any legal activity.

what are some things resident (/politics/2010/03/15/us-census-begins-officials-work-quell-


what are some things resident aliens can't do that U.S. citizens can do?

Related articles

Stuck in reverse (/politics/2012/01/04/stuck-reverse)

Posted by Tom Foolery on Mar. 17, 2010 @ 7:24 am



Posted by Puleeze on Apr. 01, 2010 @ 5:31 am

Posted by Guest on Dec. 13, 2010 @ 2:24 pm




ww sfbg com/politics/2010/03/15/us census begins officials work quell fears

SF supervisors urge city to defy federal immigration holds (/politics/2011/12/14/sf-

supervisors-urge-city-defy-federal-immigration-holds)

Poverty among plenty (/politics/2011/12/09/povery-among-plenty)

u.s. census begins, officials work to quell fears

Documents