Census 2020-- Everyone counts!
What is the census and why is it important?
The census is a count of the total population of the United States as mandated by the Constitution. It is taken every ten years and counts every person regardless of age or immigration status to determine how the 435 Congressional House seats are apportioned among all of the states, and thus how many billions of federal dollars will be spent in our communities.
Are non-citizens counted in the census? Won’t that put them at risk?
Everyone who lives in the U.S. is counted, no matter their immigration status. But federal law protects the personal information collected by the Census Bureau and they are prevented by law from sharing information with ICE and other government agencies.
Should you fill out the census?
Yes! Everyone counts, no matter their age or their immigration status. When communities are undercounted, they become underrepresented in our government and underserved! And remember, the Census Bureau is forbidden by law to pass along information about someone’s immigration status onto other government agencies like ICE!