TIRRC Op-Ed On Why The Census Is Important for All

By Stephen Fotopulos, Executive Director of TIRRC

The U.S. Constitution requires an actual count of U.S. population every 10 years, and 2010 will mark the 23rd time the nation participates in a complete census of the people. The U.S. census helps provide the demographic data essential for policymakers to make informed decisions affecting their constituents, and to determine the efficient allocation of over $300 billion in federal funds.

In Tennessee, the foreign-born population has grown at 10 times the rate of the U.S.-born since 2000, and ensuring the census process is accessible to this community is vital to effective democratic representation, smart distribution of resources and fulfillment of this constitutional mandate.

The census has always been intended to include everyone living in the United States, regardless of national origin or status in the citizenship process. Immigrant parents pay the taxes that fund schools just like everyone else, and districts need those funds to provide quality education for all our children. The purchasing power of Tennessee's Latinos and Asians alone totaled $7.8 billion in 2008, and sales taxes on those purchases fund our state and local governments. Undocumented workers are equally as important to count, as these individuals contribute nearly $10 billion a year to Social Security and Medicare nationwide and create $1.7 billion in economic output in Tennessee. Because the census occurs only every 10 years, all U.S. residents and taxpayers are essential to include whether they are citizens today or the citizens of tomorrow.

The census historically results in a significant undercount of new immigrants and refugees, which makes it difficult to paint an accurate picture of our vibrant nation. Newer community members are naturally more hesitant to participate because of unfamiliarity with government institutions, and many immigrants come from countries where government officials are viewed with less confidence. The survey process itself can be a foreign concept to many immigrants and refugees.

Unfortunately, Nashville has an added burden to overcome, as the city has given immigrants mixed messages about the core function of local government and law enforcement. Since April 2007, the Davidson County sheriff's 287(g) program has extracted more than 5,000 people from our city after coming into contact with local police for driving viola- tions and other minor offenses. The mass deportation of so many hard-working friends and neighbors has created considerable fear of government in the immigrant community, regardless of immigration status. When census workers knock, it is unclear whether immigrant households will be willing to open the door.

In 2010, the Census Bureau will not include a long-form survey with questions about nativity and citizenship. While this information would be useful to better understand trends in population movement and immigrant integration, the most important objective of the U.S. Census is a complete count. The simpler and more accessible the process, the better. City leaders have a compelling interest to reach out directly to immigrant communities and send a clear message that the census is meant for everyone; elected officials simply can't represent their constituents' best interests if they don't know where they are. Our newest Americans also have a civic responsibility to open their doors and take this most basic step in our participatory democracy; we must all stand up and be counted.

This editorial was printed in The Tennessean on October 7th, 2009

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091007/OPINION01/910070376