Yes We Maybe Can, Potentially! Or Not: Latino Groups Would Like You To Participate In / Ignore / Boycott The 2010 Census

WE JUST DON’T KNOW HOW TO FEEL! While some Latino groups and corporations, like Telemundo, are doing all they can to urge Latinos to participate in the 2010 census, despite their fears or hesitation, others are urging Latinos to boycott the census altogether.

Some Republican senators are pushing for the 2010 census form include a question about citizenship so that congressional seats can eventually be based on a count of citizens, rather than the number of all residents regardless of legal status.

Opines Nativo Lopez, president of the Mexican American Political Association:

The only thing left for the immigrant to bargain is something they want from the immigrant, and that is that the person be counted. If that person refuses to cooperate, refuses to participate, refuses to comply, now he has a modicum of leverage.

Then there’s the question of whether it is ethical to count undocumented immigrants. Says Rev. Miguel Rivera of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders:

The truth is that counting undocumented immigrants creates what we call ghost electoral districts, and that is completely immoral.

Rev. Rivera also says that undocumented immigrants, specifically, should boycott the census because President Obama has not done enough when it comes to helping immigrants in this country and has instead promoted arguably harsh measures, like beefing up ICE and giving more power to local authorities who have consistently used violence, intimidation and racial profiling to hunt down not illegal immigrants, but all Latinos. 

Then again, other Latino advocates stress that, without every Latinos participation in the census, money cannot to necessary programs. What do you guys think? Are you planning to participate in or boycott the census?

Hispanics mull boycotting 2010 census [Washington Times]