Questions for 2020 Census: Immigration Edition
Questions for 2020 Census
The 2020 Census is officially live! It's important that our DACA/Undocumented families are counted towards the #Census2020, as it impacts our schools, roads, and public safety.
You should have received a letter in the mail inviting you to fill out your #2020Census form online through the U.S. Census Bureau website. Soon, census takers will begin following up in person with households that have not yet participated.
You can respond to the Census by internet, phone or mail
1. Why is the Census important? Why should I fill it out?
Filling the Census it’s extremely important since this is how the Federal government decides how much money to send to the local government. The Census is completed every 10 years. Depending on how many people live in a specific geographical area the federal government will determine how much money do they need to invest in schools, hospitals, infrastructure, etc.
Make sure that your family and yourself count this 2020! The federal government will be sending the local government $3,000 PER PERSON! Make sure to count the kiddos and babies that live at your house - they also count :)
2. What happens if I don’t send it?
If you don’t fill the Census, your household will not be counted. This will hurt schools, roads, hospitals, among other services provided by your city. The federal government allocates approximately $3,000 per person per year for city programs. Additionally, the Census is used to redistrict legislative and congressional seats. Arizona is projected to gain at least one more congressional seat or potentially two based on participation.
The reason this matters is because it is the job of our elected officials to fight for their constituents well being aka fight for the people to have a better quality of life. If we want to fund education at higher levels so our kids can have a great education, our teachers have enough money to sustain themselves, have more counselors, social workers, and psychologists to support our students and familie, we need to fill the Census.
3. Will the information gathered via the census be shared with other authorities?
By law, Census workers are prohibited from sharing Census information with anyone. In fact, by Title 13 & Title 44 of U.S. code Census workers are prohibited from from disclosing or publishing any private information that identifies an individual or business such, including names, addresses (including GPS coordinates), Social Security Numbers, and telephone numbers.
4. I don’t have a legal status, how can filling the Census affect me?
The information that individuals provide to the Census will not affect you. The Census does not ask for legal status. We know folks are afraid due to the current administration, but by law they are not supposed to share information with other agencies.
The Census affects how our schools, hospitals, roads, and health care system, and local governments count on the federal dollars to provide such services. We are encouraging folks to fill out the Census, make sure you count!
5. I don’t have social security, can I use my ITIN number?
You don’t need a social security number or an ITIN number to complete the Census. The Census only needs to know how many people live in your household to allocate funds.
6. Would this be able for other agencies of the government to know my exact location?
NO. The census will not give any personal information to other government agencies. The only thing that is going to share is how many people live in your household so the federal government can allocate the appropriate dollars to local governments.
7. In my house, one parent is a U.S. citizen and the other one isn’t. Would I be putting my family member in danger?
No, you will not put your family member in danger. The Census does not collect immigration status information.
8. Can someone else fill out the Census for me?
Yes, Census workers can help you fill out the Census. Typically parents tend to fill out the Census form for everyone who lives in their household. So in short, anyone can fill it out :) It is important to note that Hispanic children under the age of five are the most undercounted group. Make sure all the people who live in your house are counted including children and babies!
9. Will I have to fill out the Census in person or via the internet?
For the first time the Census will be online. You can fill out the Census by using this link: https://my2020census.gov/
Census workers are expected to go to people's homes to help them fill out the Census; however, we don’t know how this will happen while COVID-19 is impacting many sectors of our lives. It is recommended to fill out the Census online in accordance with social distancing procedures. You should also receive the Census form via mail and you can also send it via mail.
Source: Title 13, U.S. Code is available to download from the Government Printing Office here