CENSUS 2000: Counting Immigrants, the Undocumented and non-English speakers Glenn D. Magpantay Staff Attorney ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND

COUNTING ASIAN AMERICANS AN EVALUATION OF CENSUS 2000 PROGRAMS AND POLICIES APRIL 2001 SPECIAL REPORT ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND 99 Hudson Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY tel fax web

Introduction

The Asian American Community and Census

The Background of Asian Americans and the Undercount

The Operational Plan of Census 2000

AALDEF Census Program Litigation Policy Advocacy Community Education and Outreach Organization Networking

Findings and Recommendations

Census Questionnaire Forms The Advance Letter and Translated Census Forms Mailing of Census Questionnaire Forms Be Counted Forms/Sites

Providing In-Language Assistance and Access Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Hotline, Language Assistance Guides, and Glossary of Terms Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC)

Local Census Outreach and Education General Outreach and Education Partnership Specialist Outreach and Hiring Support for Community-Based Organizations Partnering with the Census Translated Educational Materials and Promotional Items

Advertising Campaign

Hiring Census Staff and Non- Response Follow-Up Enumeration Hiring Policies and Practices in General Testing and Training for Non-Response Follow-Up Non-Response Follow-Up Enumeration Execution

Conclusion

“These numbers are consistent with our findings that the census has problems counting Asian-Americans, immigrants and non-English speakers.” -Glenn Magpantay CNN.com - March 30, 2001