Skid Row in Los Angeles (Source: NY Times)
On February 14, the City of Los Angeles launched a month long “Make the Homeless Count” sock drive in an effort to get an accurate count of the homeless population. Donation drop-off centers are accepting socks of all sizes for men, women and children. On March 30, Census Bureau employees will pass out socks and other necessities at 6 locations around Los Angeles and conduct the homeless count.
Sunday, March 14 is the last day of the month long drive. The following sites are accepting donations:
- LAPD Stations
- Los Angeles City Hall, 3rd Floor, 200 N. Spring St.;
- Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., with boxes located in South and West Halls
- Coalition of Mental Health Professionals, 9219 S. Broadway
- Watts Labor Community Action Committee-Human Services Department, 10950 South Central Ave.
- Save Our Future, 4103 West Adams Blvd.
For more information, please click here.
Filed under: Announcements, Community Events Tagged: | 2010 Census
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Some people have said that the US immigration office is going to trace census respondents, find out if they are in this country legally, then locate and deport them if they are not. It’s part of a crackdown on undocumented workers — SO wrong!
Hi Annie,
Thanks for your comment. The Census Bureau and all census workers must take an oath that they’ll never release any individual’s information collected to anyone outside the census bureau — and this includes other government agencies. Additionally, the 2010 Census does not ask any questions regarding immigration status. Finally, having everyone fill out the Census is of utmost importance — the results determine how many representatives our state gets in Congress, as well as how federal funding is distributed to states and cities for hospitals, schools, and other services for their residents — regardless of the immigration status of those residents. For more information, go to http://2010.census.gov/2010census/privacy/index.php.
Jessica Cowley
Project Coordinator
Hollywood Community Studio
This is what I read:
Census will identify illegal aliens
By A. Cy Opplan
Washington, D.C.: In spite of reassurances from the Bureau of the Census that information collected in the 2010 Census will remain confidential there are those here in this country illegally who have their doubts. And well they should.
While the 2010 Census form comes addressed “To Resident,” and no address is indicated or requested on the form, the Bar Code appearing above the “To Resident At” is all the government needs to identify the location at which the Census Form was completed.
Most of those in this country illegally come from south of the border, which is why organizations like The National Council of La Reza, which dubs itself as the largest national Hispanic civil rights organization, has raised the alarm over census questions, especially question number 8.
Without question, query number 8 is aimed at identifying those of Hispanic lineage who are currently residing in this country while questions 1 through 3 will give those seeking to identify and pinpoint enclaves where those of Hispanic descent are concentrated. Furthermore, supplying the information as to how many persons live at that particular location provides the Immigration and Naturalization Service, INS, with additional information needed should a sweep of a particular neighborhood be planned.
Those who are in this country illegally, notably those from Mexico and Central America, are familiar with the exploits of Sheriff Joe Arpiao from Maricopa County, Arizona. Arpiao has incurred the wrath of the Hispanic community for, in his words, ‘upholding the Constitution’ by nabbing illegal aliens, mostly those from Mexico, and deporting them. And while there are politicians in Washington who decry Sheriff Joe’s activities word has it that a number of law enforcement agencies, both federal and state, are studying his methods and tactics in anticipation of a crackdown on those in this country illegally once they get their hands on the latest census data.
But why now? All one has to do is to look at California. Millions of Hispanics residing in California illegally have been a major contributor to that state’s fiscal woes. Even Governor Schwarzenegger has confided his concerns to members of his cabinet and the leadership of both parties who, while outwardly condemning any effort to take some sort of action against those “undocumented aliens” are now forced to admit that the time for action is near.
Even the Democrat Party, a staunch defender of illegal aliens, has begun to face the fiscal facts in light of passage of the Health Care Bill last week. Speaker Pelosi along with Senator Harry Reid are hearing undertones within their respective caucus that despite assurances from OMB the growing population of illegal aliens will eventually make any forecasts of savings obsolete.
What to do?
The 2010 Census may provide the answer. Those illegal aliens who complete the Census will be supplying the government with the information to profile neighborhoods and areas where there is a high population of those of Hispanic origin. Sweeps like those of Sheriff Arpiao may become more frequent in the barrios of large cities in states like California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.
It will be interesting to see just how information collected by the 2010 Census plays out – especially for those in this country illegally
That’s what concerns me.
I appreciate your concern, Annie, but it is more likely that pressure for undocumented folks to not fill out the Census would come from anti-immigrant interests, since higher documentation of these populations will increase funding and political power for these populations. I am especially concerned at the tone of this author at the end of this article, where the author blames California’s fiscal woes on undocumented residents. This makes me suspect the author’s motives. For instance, here is a piece by right-wing anti-immigrant blogger Michelle Malkin on why she does not want immigrants to fill out the Census and be protected: http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/03/obama-census-no-illegal-alien-left-behind/
The Census asks for ethnicity, but does not ask for national status. Thus for the INS or similar to conduct “sweeps”, it would be as likely to target native-born or naturalized residents as undocumented residents. This would be a huge waste of resources and very politically unpopular for the INS if they began targeting citizens in sweeps.
Census data is protected information and it is a serious crime for it to be used or sought by anyone besides the Census. More info here: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/privacy/index.php
Additionally, I have read (can’t remember the source) that because not filling out the Census triggers a visit from the Census outreach workers, it may be most advisable for residents to fill out and return the mailed form so as to not draw attention to themselves.
A better count of immigrant populations will mean a fairer distribution of resources to these populations, both funding resources and political resources. It is vitally important that everyone fill out the Census!