Halt on immigration raids urged to ensure accurate census count

The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 03.30.2009

WASHINGTON — New Commerce Secretary Gary Locke exhorted census volunteers to boost outreach in hard-to-count communities as a top lawmaker urged the government to halt immigration raids to ensure an accurate count.

Speaking at a Census Bureau training conference Monday, Locke and Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., tried to allay fears in Hispanic and Asian communities where immigrants often mistake census workers for tax collectors or law enforcement officials.

“It is your familiar, trusted voices that will help us succeed in educating residents about the census,â€