Thread: Pastor urges boycott of Census by Illegals

Pastor Urges Boycott

The Rev. Antonio Marques, pastor of Iglesia Communidad Evangelica in Glen Allen, has been educating his Spanish-speaking congregation about the benefits of filling out census forms.

But he also has been telling those church members who are living in the area illegally that providing census data doesn't bring them any benefits and that it might bring consequences later.

"They do not count for many things, such as to receive driver's licenses," he said in an interview. "And who's to say that after giving the information to the census, the government won't use it to persecute them later."

Marques is supporting the Washington-based National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders' position, which encourages illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 Census unless Congress grants legalization to about 12 million illegal immigrants living across the United States. The count officially starts April 1.

The coalition claims to have a network of 20,000 churches with 3 million to 4 million members, and at least 25 percent support the position, said the coalition's president, the Rev. Miguel Rivera.

"Without legal status, it's greater the damage, it's greater the difficulty than any benefits the census offers," Rivera said.

"Let's send a strong message to members of Congress to say, 'Hey, if you don't get your sleeves rolled and don't work on an immigration reform, you're going to lose seats in the House of Representatives because these people are going to stay away from census.'"

The coalition's message worries U.S. Census Bureau officials who are reaching out to Hispanics, as well as other Hispanic groups who are pouring resources into encouraging people to get counted.

"We see the message as very irresponsible and misleading," said Laura Barrera, deputy director of the census for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "We really are concerned that this dubious message will increase the paranoia that already exists with concerns about raids and deportations."

The census count has nothing to do with immigration reform, Barrera said. The organization is launching a Spanish and English multimedia campaign in September encouraging people to participate in the census.

"We're expecting 50 million Latinos to be counted in the next census," she said. "We completely discourage any type of boycott."

Raul Cisneros, a spokesman for the Census Bureau, said the agency's job is to count everyone. For the first time, the agency will send 13 million questionnaires printed in Spanish and English.

"We are disappointed that any organization would urge anyone to not participate in the 2010 Census," he said.

Rivera has a daily program on Radio Poder, a Christian Spanish-language radio station in Richmond, and sister stations in Washington and Pennsylvania. He said the clergy coalition stands by its position, despite the lack of support from major Hispanic organizations.

Rivera said the government used census data to target Japanese-Americans during World War II and put them in internment camps after Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor.

And the 2001 Patriot Act has the power to override the census agency's confidentiality, Rivera said. The act allowed the government to target Arab-Americans after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he said.

"That means that confidentiality is not guaranteed and assured," he said.

Cisneros said the Second War Powers Act in 1942 did authorize the Department of Commerce to make certain information available for the purposes of national defense.

"However, while these activities were legal during World War II, the laws of the country have changed," he said. "Current law . . . explicitly forbids the Census Bureau from disclosing information. With regards to claims that the government used information to target Arab groups after 9/11, this particular situation involved disclosing information that was already fully available to the public."

Ron Brown, partnership coordinator with the Census Bureau's Charlotte, N.C., office, said they're already having trouble getting the Hispanic community to participate in the census, and they are forming partnerships to help encourage people to participate.

"The biggest issue is the sharing of information with us," said Brown, who coordinates partnership efforts in Virginia. "We do not collect Social Security numbers on the form. We are sworn to confidentiality. That seems to help to allay their fears."

/http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/new...-222621/267851

keep talking like that
americans dont want illegals totaled in the population anyways
because is screws with the number of house members per state

Originally Posted by jamesw62

keep talking like that
americans dont want illegals totaled in the population anyways
because is screws with the number of house members per state

What jamesw62 said!!!! BRAVO

These Churches are no better than the political "hacks" that also are pushing amnesty. Its all about getting people into their congregations. If they truly cared about these people they'd be boycotting Mexico! FIX MEXICO don't ruin America!!!!!

thats funny.. I don't plan on participating in another fraud called the census either

I kind of like Marques' message. Boycott census, and I think you can be guilty of some federal charge on top of being here illegally, stealing an identity, working without permission and not paying taxes while living in a garage with 14 other people.
Census will result in redistricting while the population here illegally is not supposd to vote (unless ACORN has been there).
I kind of like this kind of split.

The census people have already been to my house asking nosy questions about my neighbors. Naturally, I know nothing, how can I? I am always locked in my room online lololol

Big Religion, the hierarchy of the church, is like any other Special Interest Group, just follow the money. Most Special Interest Groups are only concerned for "their" agenda of profit and/or power, not the people they pretend to speak for or save from harm.

Oops, double post. Deleted by me.

AirborneSapper7 wrote:

thats funny.. I don't plan on participating in another fraud called the census either

Folks should not support the 'rule of law' only when it's convenient or fits their personal needs.

The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and you are required by law to participate.