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Stop Immigration Raids During the U.S. Census
  1. Signatures
    181 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. Secretary, Dept. of Homeland Security (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Secretary, Dept. of Homeland Security (Janet Napolitano)
      • Director, Congressional Relations and GAO/OIG Audit Liaison Office (Elliott Williams)
  2. Created By
    L M
    Berkeley, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

Despite pressure from immigrant rights advocates throughout the nation, the Department of Homeland Security has taken no action to stop immigration raids in the name of the U.S. Census. The census' goal is to count all people living in the United States, including undocumented immigrants, but these raids are terrorizing immigrant communities and contributing to a distrust of the census process. U.S. immigrant populations are historically under-counted which does a grave disservice to immigrant individuals, communities and service providers.

Sign this letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to immediately suspend immigration raids during the census season so that all people living in the United States feel safe enough to be counted.

Recent Signatures

End the Immigration Raids During the 2010 Census

Dear Secretary Napolitano:

There has been much discussion in the media and among governmental agencies regarding the suspension of immigration raids, conducted by ICE and local ICE-trained officials, during this census year. Despite pressure from immigrant rights advocates throughout the nation, I am disappointed that to date, as the census forms arrive in every U.S. mailbox, the Department of Homeland Security has taken no action to stop immigration raids in the name of the U.S. Census.

Because the census is only conducted every ten years, it is absolutely crucial that we take this opportunity to count all people living in the United States. U.S. immigrant populations are historically under-counted which does a grave disservice to immigrant individuals, communities and service providers. While the Census Bureau is conducting extensive outreach to ensure that undocumented immigrants complete the census form, the continuing immigration raids are intimidating communities and contributing to further governmental distrust. With U.S. ICE patrols terrorizing our communities, why should undocumented immigrants believe that the U.S. government will keep their information anonymous? The Census Bureau and DHS are, at this point in time, working at crossed purposes; these raids are sending the message that being counted is actually secondary to being documented.

I ask you to do the right thing as Department of Homeland Security Secretary and, according to historical precedent, a commitment to the census' mission, and pure common sense, immediately suspend immigration raids during the 2010 Census season.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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