The importance of census participation

The U.S. Census is successful in convincing undocumented immigrants to overcome their fear of being hunted down and deported long enough to stand up and be counted.

Data from the census is used to dish out federal funding and decide congressional apportionment, two things that benefit all U.S. residents regardless of their legal status.

The 2006-08 American Community Survey offers a glimpse into how our communities are changing and underscores the need for an accurate census count. The percentage of Latinos in Round Lake Beach grew by 76 percent. Latinos now make up half the village’s population of 28,000. Latinos in Waukegan number 52 percent of the population — a 15 percent increases since the last census. Mundelein, North Chicago, Zion and Gurnee are also being transformed.

The population shift should come as no surprise. The latest wave of under-educated immigrants, like those who came before them, go where the low-wage jobs — now in a service, not industrial, economy — can be found and where they can afford to live.

Mano a Mano Family Resource Center in Round Lake Park is educating its clients, many of whom are recent immigrants, on the importance of census participation. Director Carolina Duque tells her clients that the census is “not an option, it’s their responsibility.”

But some are calling for a boycott of the census to protest the government’s current enforcement-only approach to immigration.

Nativo Vigil Lopez, president of the Mexican American Political Association, wants immigrants to send a message to the Obama administration “that they will not step out of the shadow only to be counted by the census enumerators and then be told to step back in the shadow when it comes to benefits, services, and rights.”

If the census fails to convince our “illegal” neighbors to answer their 10 questions come this spring, we all will suffer, especially those of us who live in communities that keep their borders open.

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For more information on this or any other topics contact the offices of  J. David Peña at 305.373.5550 or info@myvisausa.com