Thread: Hispanic Caucus to Counter Illegal Immigrants' Resistance

Hispanic Caucus Seeks to Counter Illegal Immigrants' Resistance to 2010 Census

By Kathryn A. Wolfe, CQ Staff Kathryn A. Wolfe, Cq Staff –
Apr 17, 2009

Hoping to tamp down dissent among Hispanics, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has rebuked calls from a Latino religious group for illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 census.

The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, a group whose Web site says it represents 16,000 evangelical churches in 34 states, urged undocumented immigrants not to participate in the 2010 census absent immigration reform.

The group's president, the Rev. Miguel Rivera, said politicians use census data to polarize public opinion and rally support for crackdowns on illegal immigrants.

Many illegal immigrants are already wary of participating in the head count, fearful that information about them will wind up in the hands of federal agencies bent on deporting them. Census officials have been going to considerable lengths to assure immigrants that census data will be kept confidential.

Rivera and his group back President Obama's immigration plan, which would target employers who hire illegal workers, strengthen border enforcement and provide a way for illegal immigrants to become legal.

Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-N.Y., president of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), said it is vital that the population count be fair and thorough. "To not be counted would have political implications and jeopardize vital resources, including federal funding for schools, health care, job training and infrastructure," she said.

Charlie Gonzalez, D-Texas, vice chairman of the Hispanic Caucus, said the Latino group's efforts are well-intentioned, but misguided. He called on the Hispanic community to "stand together and be counted."

"We must not let this important opportunity for representation pass us by," Gonzalez said.

The constitutionally mandated census is intended to count everyone living in the United States, whether legally or not.

The data produced by the census is used in congressional reapportionment and redistricting, and in helping the federal government distribute hundreds of billions of dollars annually to local, state and tribal governments.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20090417/pl_ ... ics3098099

The US is much better off without the count.

One argument that I have heard is that the federal government apportions from one to two thousand dollars per person to states regardless of immigration status. If that is true the benefit of the illegals being included in the count is clearly inadequate.

This puts them in direct contradiction of other hispanic groups.

Hispanic groups call for Census boycott

By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY

Some Hispanic advocacy groups are calling for illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 Census unless immigration laws are changed. The move puts them at odds with leading immigrant rights advocates and creates another hurdle in the Census Bureau's quest to count everyone in the USA.

The National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, a group that says it represents 20,000 evangelical churches in 34 states, issued a statement this week urging undocumented immigrants not to fill out Census forms unless Congress passes "genuine immigration reform."

Similar grass-roots campaigns are unfolding in Arizona and New Mexico to protest state and local crackdowns on illegal immigrants. Asking immigrants to be counted without giving them a chance to become legal residents counters church teachings, says the Rev. Miguel Rivera, president of the Latino religious coalition.

When the Census counts growing numbers of Hispanics, the counts are often used to support crackdowns on illegal immigrants, he says. About 38% of the churches' 3.4 million members are undocumented, he says. The Census Bureau does not ask people if they are here illegally.

"Our job is to count every single person," says Raul Cisneros, Census spokesman. "We are disappointed that any organization would urge anyone to not participate in the 2010 Census."

Federal funding and apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are based on a Census of the population every 10 years. Not counting the estimated 12 million immigrants who are here illegally would send less money to states and cities that have large numbers of undocumented residents and could shift political clout elsewhere.

"We know it will hurt a lot of cities," Rivera says.

That's the bargaining chip boycott supporters are using to lobby lawmakers to issue temporary work visas for undocumented workers and give them a way to become citizens.

The call for a boycott "may be well-intended but misguided and ultimately irresponsible," says Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials and a member of a Census advisory panel.

"There is a sense of desperation and frustration among some immigrant rights leaders" that Congress has not taken action on such issues, Vargas says. They should give the new administration a chance, he says.

That is not allaying concerns in states that have imposed sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants or in cities and counties that have given police the power to enforce immigration laws.

In Phoenix, immigrant advocates such as Alfredo Gutierrez, host of a daily radio program on a Spanish station, threaten a Census boycott to protest crackdowns on illegal immigrants.

In Roswell, N.M., businessman Bobby Villegas launched a campaign in February to get undocumented workers to boycott the Census. He's doing it as the city nears 50,000 population, a mark that would give it the government designation as a metropolitan area, which puts cities on the map for national marketers and retailers.

"Are we going to bring more money in the community so that they can hire more police officers who then will go out after more undocumented?" Villegas asks.

The Roswell Hispano Chamber of Commerce he helped found voiced support for the Census, but "it's going to be very hard to reach these individuals and say, 'Trust me,' " says Juan Oropesa, executive director.

Nationally, efforts to have the Census reach Hispanics get backing from major Spanish-speaking media and organizations. For the first time, the Census will send forms in English and Spanish to about 13 million households in areas that have a high concentration of Hispanics.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/cen ... nsus_N.htm

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-153285-census.html

I hope they believe them because you know they are keeping track of them.
If I was illegal I wouldn't answer the door.
That's a sure fire way back home to Mexico! Wink

Federal funding and apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are based on a Census of the population every 10 years. Not counting the estimated 12 million immigrants who are here illegally would send less money to states and cities that have large numbers of undocumented residents and could shift political clout elsewhere.

First the 12 million "immigrants" are illegal. Second, apportionment of House seats has nothing to do with them since they are not allowed to vote--yet. And states and cities losing this kind of funding for not protecting legal residents need to wake up, and maybe the only way to convince these loose boweled, lily-livered bleeding hearts is to remove their play money for teapot museums.

ALIPAC Forums-viewtopic-Census concern: Immigrants may avoid the count

The 2000 Census counted 18.5 million non-citizens, including an estimated 7 million illegal aliens.

www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=Forums&f ... c&t=153040

Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez, D-N.Y., president of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), said it is vital that the population count be fair and thorough. "To not be counted would have political implications and jeopardize vital resources, including federal funding for schools, health care, job training and infrastructure," she said.

And I assume her thought is that without that funding the illegals would go without free services, and we can't do that to the poor illegals.

So over 25 million immigrants and illegals why count these people? They should not have input into our government w/representation.

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

I hope they believe them because you know they are keeping track of them.
If I was illegal I wouldn't answer the door.
That's a sure fire way back home to Mexico! :wink: Wink

All it takes is one patriotic Census Employee, or one patriotic Computer Hacker

and the name and address of every illegal alien counted can be in the hands of I.C.E.