Immigration activists urge census boycott: "Legalize us before you count us"

[bobbyw24]

Immigration activists urge census boycott
Hope effort spurs legislation

By Maria Sacchetti, Globe Staff | September 8, 2009

A small but vocal group of advocates is urging illegal immigrants and their supporters nationwide to boycott the 2010 Census to protest the government’s inaction on immigration legislation, a move that, if successful, could cost Massachusetts and other states millions of dollars.

The campaign is setting off alarms across the United States because census figures are crucial to determining how much federal funding cities and towns receive. A large-scale boycott, state officials and prominent pro-immigrant groups warn, could force Massachusetts to cut services from school lunch programs to highway construction, and heighten its chances of losing a seat in Congress.

But proponents say the boycott would pressure politicians to address problems illegal immigrants face every day - such as long separations from their families back home - and pursue a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s immigration system that would provide a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants.

“Legalize us before you count us,’’ Fausto da Rocha, a Brazilian immigrant leader in Boston said on a talk-radio show in Quincy last week, where callers from as far away as Brunswick, Maine, expressed support for the boycott. “Politics is about power and money, and by not giving your information, you’ll be taking away money and power from the politicians.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/08/proposed_boycott_of_census_divides_immigrant_commu nity_in_massachusetts/

[jmdrake]

I didn't know illegal immigrants were counted in the first place. That's kind of ridiculous. The number of seats in congress is supposed to reflect the number of potential voters. (That was the reason for the 3/5ths compromise with regards to slaves.) Best result would be they boycott nationwide and welfare dollars get cut. I mean immigrants aren't on welfare anyway right? ;)

Side note. It's funny that Obama says his healthcare reform won't go to help illegal immigrants when a large number of the "46 million uninsured" are illegal immigrants. So is he lying about having a plan to cover all 46 million uninsured, is he lying about not covering illegal immigrants or is he just lying?

[yokna7]

I didn't know illegal immigrants were counted in the first place. That's kind of ridiculous. The number of seats in congress is supposed to reflect the number of potential voters. (That was the reason for the 3/5ths compromise with regards to slaves.) Best result would be they boycott nationwide and welfare dollars get cut. I mean immigrants aren't on welfare anyway right? ;)

Side note. It's funny that Obama says his healthcare reform won't go to help illegal immigrants when a large number of the "46 million uninsured" are illegal immigrants. So is he lying about having a plan to cover all 46 million uninsured, is he lying about not covering illegal immigrants or is he just lying?

Is he lying? He must be. The illegal portion of the "46 million" is over 9 million. Of what benefit would it be to give figures that would reflect 46 million? A figure of 37 million would be more affordable and be easier to sell. So obviously there is deception.