I work for the Census Bureau and...

[TreasonousBastard]

First, it does make sense for any government to know how many citizens it has, and a national census is a good way to find out. Having said that, asking about citizenship in Trump's America does bring up "Vere are your papers?" imagery.

About Census data itself, It is absolutely private. And the Supreme Court has already held that individual data cannot be shared with anyone, although the FBI and IRS have tried mightily-- and failed. Census workers take an oath of privacy, and the penalty can be a huge fine and a jail term for violations. Security for the databases is as good as it gets.

This does not mean that the law can't be changed or the Bureau can't ever be hacked, but the information is now as safe and private as any information out there.

These days, though, just asking the question raises hackles everywhere. The ACS and Current Population Survey have been asking it all along with no problem, and the full numbers can be extrapolated statistically with pretty good accuracy, but note that neither of them ask if you have a visa. Asking if you are legally in the US is totally out of bounds for a census, and I suspect the fear of that happening is behind some of the agida over this.

[hlthe2b]

1. re: This does not mean that the law can't be changed---exactly

[PaulX2]

2. There Are No Rules In Trumps America

Don't ask don't tell status. Body count only till the rule of law returns at least partially. Law is only for the poor anyway. Billionaires commit felonies daily but they are above all laws.

[elleng]

3. THANKS.

[CatMor]

4. Thank you for this info. Glad to hear it's kept private.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. I'm sad to see people trying to weaponize the Census. It's one of the greatest things the country

does, IMO. Largest peacetime mobilization, a great and efficient jobs program, hard data that fuels years of research, plus a commitment to privacy and respect -- I like a lot of things about it. Thanks for your work.

[NeoGreen]

6. Is there a point in time...

...(i.e. 50-years) where it may be released to general public?

I've seen purported copies of census forms (a large sheet apparently filled in by a census worker) from the 1930's and 1940's.

Just curious.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. 72 years...

https://www.census.gov/history/www/genealogy/decennial_census_records/the_72_year_rule_1.html The American Community Survey is considered part of the decennial, so would follow the same rules.

However, some other surveys, like Consumer Expenditures, Housing, Crime, Current Population Survey... are performed by the Census Bureau on behalf of other Commerce divisions and have their own rules. Those rules largely track with Census rules as part of omnibus federal privacy rules, but can have some differences.

[NeoGreen]

12. Cool...

...thanks!

[zonemaster]

7. Is there currently any penalty for not answering this (or any other) question on the census?

Also, I could see Republicans changing laws later to gain access to the data and to prohibit anyone from voting, registered or not, if they did not answer the citizenship question on the census.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Not really-- some of the surveys are completely voluntary, but even the ones that are...

mandatory, like the decennial and ACS, may have penalties floating around somewhere, but no one has, to my knowledge, ever been prosecuted, fined, or otherwise penalized.

[blake2012]

10. No one has told me what could literally be gained by asking question

How does seeing the numbers of citizens help with Enforcing Voting Rights Act? That’s bullshit.

The probability of statistically significant undercounting of minorities is large enough that the states suing on the matter should prevail.

As you mentioned, the very frequent statistical sample community survey should have everything we need regarding citizens and non citizens in this country.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Nothing that I can think of-- just more jingoist anti-immigrant BS...

I doubt the guys who put the census in the Constitution were thinking too hard about immigration at the time. Native Americans, slaves, indentured servants... Tough enough defining citizenship as it was. If you came here by choice, you were just here.

And anyone who thinks this has anything to do with the Voting Rights Act should just be chained to a tree in an alligator swamp. These are the people who happily gerrymandered their precious minorities out of representation.

[longship]

13. An informative thread.

Thanks, TB.



R&

[ConnorMarc]

14. Interesting