NHCLC Calls for Complete Count of Latinos and Immigrants in the 2010 Census

The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), an organization serving the 16 million Hispanic born-again Christians in the United States and Puerto Rico, today urged all Latinos and immigrants to participate in the 2010 Census. The NHCLC also opposes the efforts of a small group of organizations calling for a boycott of the enumeration as a strategy to achieve comprehensive immigration reform.

“A full count of the Latino population will help Latinos build a better future for their families,” said Dr. Jesse Miranda, CEO of the NHCLC. “A full count is critical for the continued economic and political progress of the Latino community. An undercount of the Latino community will do serious damage to our families and our neighborhoods. By diminishing the representation of newcomers in our democracy, an undercount will also undermine efforts to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. Encouraging anyone not to participate in the Census is simply wrong.”

The United States Constitution requires all residents of the United Status, including immigrants, to participate in the decennial Census. Census statistics determine reapportionment and political representation, and are also used for allocating federal funding for many social and economic programs that benefit the Hispanic community, along with other residents. Additionally, Census data are used for the enforcement of civil rights and anti-discrimination laws, including the Voting Rights Act.

“Pastors have a moral responsibility to educate our parishioners and flocks in actions that benefit our communities on so many levels,” said Dr. Gilbert Velez, NHCLC Chairman. “Accordingly, as America’s largest Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, we call upon all Latinos and immigrants, including people of faith, to participate in the 2010 Census. The information provided to the Census is confidential and federal law and policies strictly protect the privacy of Census responses. A full count will help our communities move forward on the path of political empowerment, prosperity, and transformation.”

NHCLC joins with Comunidad Presbiteriana Hispana & El Pozo de Jacob, The Jesse Miranda Center for Hispanic Christian Leadership, The Hispanic Mega Church Association, The Hispanic Pentecostal Congress and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as partners on the ya es hora !HAGASE CONTAR! (It’s Time, Make Yourself Count!) campaign, a coalition of prominent Latino organizations and national Spanish-language media working to inform and motivate the nearly 50 million U.S. Latinos to fully participate in the 2010 Census. The campaign is led by the NALEO Educational Fund in conjunction with Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, NCLR, and media companies Entravision, impreMedia, and Univision, and includes organizational partners at the national, state, and local levels.

“Making sure all Latinos participate in the Census will require a comprehensive community-based effort,” concluded Saturnino Gonzalez, Hispanic Pentecostal Congress Chair. “As members of the faith-community, we look forward to doing our part through the ya es hora !HAGASE CONTAR! campaign to help the Census Bureau to achieve a full count.” “

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