AOC, city officials urge Corona residents to complete the Census
/
New York City Census Director Julie Menin (left) and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez debunked scams and addressed fears Saturday, while urging Corona residents to complete the Census. Eagle photo by Rachel Vick
By Rachel Vick
Families across the United States will begin filling out their 2020 Census forms next month, but uncertainty and fear continue to cast a shadow over the process and threaten to suppress turnout in many communities.
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and city Census officials addressed the concerns of noncitizen residents of Corona at a town hall Saturday, focusing on the failed Trump administration attempt to include a citizenship question on the once-every-10-years form, as well as lesser known schemes. The Census results determine federal funding allotments and congressional districting, which means an accurate count is imperative for representation.
“We want to partner with you all just as an ordinary citizen, neighbor in making sure that our community gets fully counted,” Ocasio-Cortez said at a forum in Corona. “That way, we’ll make sure that our schools are fully funded that our infrastructure, that our transit infrastructure gets the funding they need, that our hospitals get the funding that they need and that we get all the resources that we deserve.”
New York City Census Director Julie Menin and Jeff Behler, the director of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Census Bureau, addressed common concerns, emphasizing the safety, confidentiality and importance of the process.
“Local, state, federal law enforcement can never access our data at any time for any reason, which means Homeland Security and [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] can never access our data at any time, for any reason,” Behler said. “We have been taken to federal court numerous times over the past seven decades ... and we have won every time.”
Behler said scammers have already begun soliciting people’s information. He advised that real Census-takers will never ask for money, political affiliation or for information like social security number.
A provision of US Census Legal code known as Title 13 protects the identifying information gathered by the Census Bureau from any outside agency, and all census employees are sworn to uphold confidentiality laws.
New York City’s self-report rate in the 2010 census was well below the national average. Only 69.1 percent of Queens residents self reported, and the results were even lower in certain areas, particularly parts of Southeast Queens. The federal government estimates the rest of the population data, leading to inaccurate undercounts.
“This is a nationwide competition — we are in competition with every other state,” Menin said, referring to the zero sum game for the fixed number Congressional seats and federal funding. “For every New Yorker that decides ‘I’m not gonna fill the census out’ all that means is other states are getting money that belongs to us.’”
The self reporting period begins March 12. Households will be able to submit their data online and via phone for the first time, as well as completing traditional paper forms.
