Pastor urges boycott of census by illegal immigrants
Published: May 15, 2009
Updated: May 15, 2009
| Interactive map of Census data |
 
|
The Rev. Antonio Marques, pastor of Iglesia Communidad Evangelica in Glen Allen, has been educating his Spanish-speaking congregation about the benefits of filling out census forms.
But he also has been telling those church members who are living in the area illegally that providing census data doesn't bring them any benefits and that it might bring consequences later.
"They do not count for many things, such as to receive driver's licenses," he said in an interview. "And who's to say that after giving the information to the census, the government won't use it to persecute them later."
Marques is supporting the Washington-based National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders' position, which encourages illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 Census unless Congress grants legalization to about 12 million illegal immigrants living across the United States. The count officially starts April 1.
The coalition claims to have a network of 20,000 churches with 3 million to 4 million members, and at least 25 percent support the position, said the coalition's president, the Rev. Miguel Rivera.
"Without legal status, it's greater the damage, it's greater the difficulty than any benefits the census offers," Rivera said.
"Let's send a strong message to members of Congress to say, 'Hey, if you don't get your sleeves rolled and don't work on an immigration reform, you're going to lose seats in the House of Representatives because these people are going to stay away from census.'"
The coalition's message worries U.S. Census Bureau officials who are reaching out to Hispanics, as well as other Hispanic groups who are pouring resources into encouraging people to get counted.
"We see the message as very irresponsible and misleading," said Laura Barrera, deputy director of the census for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "We really are concerned that this dubious message will increase the paranoia that already exists with concerns about raids and deportations."
The census count has nothing to do with immigration reform, Barrera said. The organization is launching a Spanish and English multimedia campaign in September encouraging people to participate in the census.
"We're expecting 50 million Latinos to be counted in the next census," she said. "We completely discourage any type of boycott."
Raul Cisneros, a spokesman for the Census Bureau, said the agency's job is to count everyone. For the first time, the agency will send 13 million questionnaires printed in Spanish and English.
"We are disappointed that any organization would urge anyone to not participate in the 2010 Census," he said.
Rivera has a daily program on Radio Poder, a Christian Spanish-language radio station in Richmond, and sister stations in Washington and Pennsylvania. He said the clergy coalition stands by its position, despite the lack of support from major Hispanic organizations.
Rivera said the government used census data to target Japanese-Americans during World War II and put them in internment camps after Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor.
And the 2001 Patriot Act has the power to override the census agency's confidentiality, Rivera said. The act allowed the government to target Arab-Americans after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he said.
"That means that confidentiality is not guaranteed and assured," he said.
Cisneros said the Second War Powers Act in 1942 did authorize the Department of Commerce to make certain information available for the purposes of national defense.
"However, while these activities were legal during World War II, the laws of the country have changed," he said. "Current law . . . explicitly forbids the Census Bureau from disclosing information. With regards to claims that the government used information to target Arab groups after 9/11, this particular situation involved disclosing information that was already fully available to the public."
Ron Brown, partnership coordinator with the Census Bureau's Charlotte, N.C., office, said they're already having trouble getting the Hispanic community to participate in the census, and they are forming partnerships to help encourage people to participate.
"The biggest issue is the sharing of information with us," said Brown, who coordinates partnership efforts in Virginia. "We do not collect Social Security numbers on the form. We are sworn to confidentiality. That seems to help to allay their fears."
Contact Juan Antonio Lizama at (804) 649-6513 or
.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=642
I had meant to say that the illegal immigration issue has been exploited by racist hate groups to fuel their expansion.
If U.S. had never enacted immigration quotas in 1924, and we had the same laws today that were in effect before 1924, then there would be no illegals. All immigrants would be legal. They would be Americans if they choose to be. Where would the arguments against them be then? This issue would be moot. They would all be working and paying into the government nanny system. That’s the point I was trying to make. This would not even be an issue if there was no such thing as an illegal.
If we were to eject all illegals out of our country today, we would be in big financial trouble, with major labor shortages. I am not an employer of anyone, as I am unemployed. That’s why I have time to post comments.
Advocating for people with disabilities is my full-time (volunteer) job. I also volunteer as a docent at the Virginia Holocaust Museum. I would love to give you all a tour so everyone can learn the dangers of hate and intolerance!
Our country was founded on ideas of freedom and democracy, not on a race of people being allowed to live here. My ancestors came from England, Sweden, Scotland. Who cares? I’m an American.
Concerned-
I clicked on the splcenter.org link. Is there a particular article that you referencing? The main article was about Latinos. They did not refer to them being illegal.
FYI: When I use the term “illegal immigrant” I am not referring exclusively to Mexicans. I think that you are such a racist for assuming that.
If you think that illegal immigrants pay taxes (other than sales tax). You are naive. Additionally, I work in the construction industry and illegals overwhelmingly underbid projects and are able to because they are dodging income tax, pay roll tax and social security. They provide shoddy work and are not accountable when there is a customer service issue (i.e. not around to fix it).
If a business owner is employing illegal immigrants he should be punished, as well.
Kudos to the legal immigrants who are playing the same game as other hard working people.
In 1924, our federal balance sheet was not leveredged with social government programs such as medicare, medicaid and social security. Income tax was almost non-existant. Now, with all of our social programs, we should only do what is fair and allow those who pay in to benefit…or destroy those progams, which would be my preference.
(concerned) - Thanks for the history lesson and your willingness to tutor the uneducated who disagree with you even though you came across as condescending and arrogant. Of course you referenced the SPLC a Pro-ILLEGAL member of the “hate America far left crowd” to back up your claims of racism but then stated you would trade many of the ILLEGALS for the “hate America far left crowd”; may be a contradiction. For a LACK of defensible arguments the Pro-ILLEGAL Elitists, Elitist Politicians, Elitist Political Contributors, and Special Interest Groups benefiting from the ILLEGALS always fall back on name calling, attacking anyone who disagrees by attempting to label them as racists. So if you are not a member of the Pro-ILLEGAL “hate America far left crowd” would it be safe to believe you are a member of the Elitist Special Interest Group ILLEGAL EMPLOYER crowd who desire to “socialize benefits” to the ILLEGALS, camouflaged as welfare for United States Citizens, on the backs of United States Citizens through our assets such as the Education System, Social Security, and Health Care not to mention our National Security while “privatizing” the profits for themselves!
“Why am I a racist if I want ILLEGAL immigrants out of the US?“ Well, you sound like a racist, that’s for sure, especially if by illegal immigrants you mean primarily the ones coming across the Mexican border! Many folks who are opposed to illegal immigrants are racists; others are misguided and uneducated about the history of immigration laws in our country. If you visit http://www.splcenter.org, you can learn all about the 926 organized hate groups in this country. There has been a 50% increase since 2000 because of exploitation of the illegal immigration issue. All 12 of the white supremacy groups who hate Hispanics have been started by one individual John Tanton, who has almost single-handedly blocked immigration reform. He has referred to Hispanics has “bacteria”. Same old hate speech. John Tanton is a racist. Many people who speak out against illegal immigration seem to be talking about one group of illegals, even though there are Asian, Middle Eastern, European, Chinese, etc. illegals as well.
Illegals do pay taxes. They file and pay cash under Tax Id numbers. They pay sales taxes as well. Through their hard labor, they reduce housing and service costs for middle class Americans and businesses, as they provide a labor force in construction jobs, house cleaning, roofing, landscaping, house painting and repair, etc. Many American citizens cheat to avoid paying taxes; let’s talk about them. Some millionaires evade taxes.
Before 1924, there was no such thing as an illegal immigrant. There was only the immigrant. Immigration quotas were established as a result of the eugenics movement in this country. Americans, as a whole, believed poor uneducated immigrants (many Catholics) from Europe and Russia and other countries were inferior stock to our anglo-saxon Protestant heritage, and that they would “take over” our country, if we didn’t limit their numbers. Does the constitution have anything in it about legal status? If anyone wanted to come here and be an American, they could. Until 1924. We kept many Jews out of U.S. during the 30’s who ended up perishing in Hitler’s camps.
I, for one, would like to trade many of the patriotic “illegals” who seem to be more hard-working and possess more traditional family values for the “hate America” far left crowd.
I don’t think we have to worry about illegals much longer. They will swarm back to their countries of origins soon enough when they begin to have no more freedoms and quality of life than they had back home. It won’t be worth enduring all the discrimination and hate speech!
This “minister”, and I use the term loosely because the church DOES NOT EXIST as a building. I have live in Glen Allen almost my entire life and I know this area like the back of my hand. Not only is the good revered an idiot for telling ANYONE who is Latino to avoid the census in areas where it is essential for Latinos to be counted, but he is also running the “church” from where? His basement? Ok, for all the illegal idiots out there (and if they can’t read this, someone who is Latino please explain it in Spanish for them) if you really this INS has no idea where you are…get a grip. The truth is they have no interest in you.
The purpose of the census however is one that is very important for all citizens, Latinos included. If you are a Latino and are counted as a Latino (and if you fill out the census, you will be, duh)then that gives benefits to OTHER Latinos in your area who ARE here legally. If your county has lets say 10% Latinos, then EO laws state that 10% of jobs go to Latinos. So if there are 5% illegal and 5% legal Latinos in a county, the number of EO requirements drops by half. That means they can give that job covered by Equal Opportunity to anyone of a different race because YOU were worried about “the man” coming to get you because you were listening to a “minister” (who I have to wonder if he is actually ordained considering his church is imaginary) that had you convinced that there was no benefit for illegals in the census and that it would just be used to come and get you.
Hello. Census takers don’t take id, they don’t get green cards, they don’t get socials. MAKE UP A NAME. They don’t care! And no one is going to go thru millions of forms to check!
I personally was involved in the census for Richmond City Schools and I can assure you that the people hired are hired for the EXACT reason that they can enter a TON of data without paying any attention to whats on it. And the census takers are making what equals out to about minimum wage so that they can deal with morons yelling about their rights, doors being slammed in their faces and dogs with severe attitude problems. I can assure you that ALL they want is to return with a filled in form just so they can go home at the end of the day.
Finally, if you are SOOOOO worried about your illegal status being discovered, here’s an idea, make an attempt to GET LEGAL. Learn the language, fill out the forms and quit hiding like cockroaches. Am I saying Latinos don’t belong here? Of course not! If it were the case that immigrants didn’t belong then anyone who is not a pure blood native american (and no it does not count if one of your grandparents second cousins once removed was) should pack their bags now. I’m saying that if you are here illegally and expect the government to hand over citizenship just because some backward “minister” told you to stand up for your rights and not take the census, you are going to be a sadly disappointed person. Do you REALLY think there are not white, black, asian or mixed people who refuse to cooperate with the census taker? Of course there are. And they get skipped or the census taker “guesses” at the race of the person they come into contact with and goes on that.
I would also like to know if this “minister” is illegal himself and if he is just trying to drum up trouble to get his name out there?
I wonder how Cuba, Mexico, Venezula or Columbia would react if millions of American citizens bombarded them and demanded to be citizens, demanded that that as many of them as possible learn English, and demanded social services be made available yet we all paid no taxes and took up jobs? Hmmmmmm. Wonder what kind of war THAT would start?
“The biggest issue is the sharing of information with us,“ said Brown, who coordinates partnership efforts in Virginia. “We do not collect Social Security numbers on the form. We are sworn to confidentiality. That seems to help to allay their fears.“
Brown is happy he “allay their fears” of the ILLEGALs? Of course Marques wants to protect his ILLEGALS but who wants to protect our families? Our FAMILIES are at the mercy of ILLEGALS and their Anchors being murdered, raped, infected with disease, or robbed. We can see the results of the ILLEGAL invasion in our courts every day! But NOT to worry the Chamber of Commerce will get their cheap labor increasing their privatized PROFITS while socializing the benefits for their ILLEGALS on the back of U. S. Citizens, thanks to our past and current Presidents, the Congressional Leadership(?), and local elected and appointed officials!
Rev. Antonio Marquez speaks the truth about historical events, the Census Bureau data; its misuse in the past, the risk to undocumented people now, the urgent need for immigration reform. You’re doing the right thing pastor! You’re standing against the tides for something that is crucial to many families and the economic backbone of America. I’m proud to see a pastor who speaks loudly as an advocate for his community and for what is right.
I think the United States social services and educational systems should boycott the illegal aliens. Also, this fella advising the illegals to boycott should be charged with conspiracy and accessory to the fact of illgal entry into the United States.
If I emigrated to Latin America, France, Germany, Spain, Japn ,etc. would I expect everyone to speak English to accommodate me? Would I expect to have all social services provided to me as a non-citizen? Could I expect to be treated with full rights and privileges of a citizen of that country and to expect the general population to kiss my butt because I was not a citizen.
THE ANSWER IS NO!
It is difficult to believe that one comment on this article would quote former President Bush as an individual having only the best interests of United States Citizens and the social interests of the ILLEGALS in mind. The Elitists are no more concerned about the ILLEGALS than they are of United States Citizens; JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY! Once again the Elitist Politicians from both “major” Political Parties and their Elitist Political Contributors consider United States citizens only as “units of labor” and the sooner we become a Third World Country the better for their “bottom line”! Our Elitist Politicians and their Elitist Political Contributors will not be happy until they transform the United States into a Third World Country for most of our citizens while furnishing the Chamber of Commerce and all their Elitist Special Interest Groups with their supply of “cheap labor”. The Elitist Politicians and their Elitist Contributors are “socializing benefits” to the ILLEGALS, camouflaged as welfare for United States Citizens, on the backs of United States citizens through our assets such as the Education System, Social Security, and Health Care not to mention our National Security while “privatizing” the profits for themselves!
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement