Controversy has surrounded the upcoming census in 2020 because of one specific question that has caused unease and fear among many in Hispanic America who believe that any answer to it could be used against them. To cut to the heart of the matter, the question reads: “Is this person a citizen of the United States?” While some may say that the question is innocuous, the sad reality is that this question alone will cause a significant under-count of people if it is included in the census.
Every person should be counted, no matter their legal status in our country. That principle, enumerated in our Constitution, is why Univision joined an Amicus Brief in a pending legal case to strike the question regarding citizenship from the upcoming 2020 census. An Amicus Brief is also known as a “friend of the court” brief and allows third parties who are not parties in the court case to direct the court to information they feel is important for the court to consider. Its purpose is to help the court decide issues based on facts, information, or other circumstances that may not have been mentioned during litigation or to explain why a particular outcome would help or hurt a community or group of people. Univision joined this Amicus Brief because we as a company know that every person must be counted and that any question that harms that effort must be removed.
The census helps determine how many Members of Congress a state will have but it does so much more than that. Its results are also used to determine where federal funding will go, how much of those funds communities will receive, and to help federal, state, and local governments decide where to place infrastructure or build other long-term facilities and projects. In the private sector, companies use census data to make many different business decisions that can impact whether a community will receive needed brick-and-mortar stores, distribution centers, or other important sources of jobs. All said, incomplete data means decisions that aren’t reflective of reality.
Univision is committed to standing up for Hispanic America. Whether that’s fighting unfair questions that could lead to harm to our community or helping ensure that every person, regardless of status, is counted in the upcoming census, we know that our company’s commitment to truth and accuracy permeate all facets of our business. From Vota Conmigo to Census2020, our commitment to Hispanic America is simple: every voice must be heard, every vote must be cast, and every person must be counted.
