Hispanics urged to make census count

Census Day is still five months away, but communities throughout the Chicago area, hoping for a larger share of federal dollars tied to the decennial population survey, are scrambling to get minorities, low-income residents and other traditionally reluctant groups to stand up and be counted.

From Joliet to Waukegan, efforts are under way to increase awareness of the census and allay fears that may be associated with government contact. People will be urged to cooperate from the pulpit, from the schools their children attend, from barbershops and even from knocks on their doors. "Any community that has a large percentage of minorities has been undercounted," said Susana Figueroa, community liaison for Waukegan, which is 45 percent Hispanic. "It will be devastating if we don't get a full count of the population."

Taken every decade since George Washington was president, the Census Bureau projects 310 million in the U.S. in 2010. Some people may be a lot harder to find than others -- something the Census Bureau learned 10 years ago when about a third of all who received a questionnaire neglected to return it.

The problem is especially acute among Hispanics, many of whom may be wary because they are undocumented . By law, the Census Bureau cannot share information with anyone, including other federal agencies. Census takers are sworn for life to protect the data under threat of up to $250,000 in fines and five years in prison.

Click here for more

Source: Chicago Tribune