Americans for Legal Immigration Want Census Used for Deportation

By Mitchell Trinka
Deportation Dialogue

April 7, 2010

The government is asking all of us to quickly fill out 2010 census forms and send them back. But what does filling out the census mean for illegal residents? According to Americans for Legal Immigration president William Gheen, it means there will be one more way to track down people who should be deported.

That’s why his organization, as well as thousands of other legal immigration advocates, wrote to the U.S. Congress this week, urging them to pass a law that would allow law enforcement to use census data to detect, detain, and deport illegal immigrants.

Gheen said he hopes Congress hears the public pleas to stop illegal immigrants from victimizing Americans. He said, rather than being counted toward tax lines and political redistricting, illegal immigrants need to be arrested.

One prime example of the effect can be seen in California. Gheen said while residents of Maine don’t have to deal with much illegal immigration, those in southern California have seen an increase in illegal immigrants, who will be counted in the census. That means California will receive more tax dollars and political power, diminishing the taxpayer resources and representation of legal Americans. That’s something Gheen says just isn’t fair.

“They didn’t earn it,â€