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The Census Bureau is the largest statistical agency of the federal government. Its mission is to provide up-to-date and accurate information about the U.S. economy and population. All information that Census workers receive directly from the people is protected and confidential under federal law.
Traducido del original Cuenta el Censo a las familias indocumentadas? de J Andrade
SPANISH VERSION INCLUDED
This means that all people who regularly reside in the United States must be counted when it comes to the resident population survey that is conducted every 10 years. This includes any survey that asks for an individual’s or family’s citizenship status, which is also asked in the monthly household survey. This is intended to ensure that all information about who is in the United States is accurate. However, the Census does not ask about legal or illegal immigration status. The Census Bureau is not authorized to share survey responses with any immigration agency or law enforcement. Your data also cannot be used to determine whether a person qualifies for public benefits.
As a former Census field representative, I can personally confirm that I was legally required to protect confidentiality under Title 13 of the United States Code. Violation of this law is a federal crime, and anyone who violates it can face severe penalties such as imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. While working with many undocumented families, I discovered that most knew I wasn’t there to harm them and trusted me with their answers. I found that people who did have documentation were more skeptical of me as a worker than those who didn’t. Some people, documented or not, remain skeptical and refuse to answer, but anyone who refuses to answer is fined $100.
To conclude, undocumented families are counted and should not be afraid to give their citizenship answers to the government because their information is protected by law. The more people who participate in the surveys, the more accurate our story will be.