WHAT’S NEXT?
A late night knock on the door?
The Census Bureau has provided specially tabulated population statistics on Arab-Americans to the Department of Homeland Security, including detailed information on how many people of Arab backgrounds live in certain ZIP codes.
The assistance is legal, but civil liberties groups and Arab-American advocacy organizations say it is a dangerous breach of public trust and liken it to the Census Bureau’s compilation of similar information about Japanese-Americans during World War II.
The Census Bureau claims it did not provide data parsed below ZIP-code level. Riiight! And, the new INS needs a better liar spokeswoman.
Christiana Halsey, a spokeswoman for Customs and Border Protection, said the requests were made to help the agency identify in which airports to post signs and pamphlets in Arabic. “The information is not in any way being used for law enforcement purposes,” she said. “It’s being used to educate the traveler. We’re simply using basic demographic information to help us communicate U.S. laws and regulations to the traveling public.”
Now I know I’ll never fill out anything for the Census Bureau.
One Response to “WHAT’S NEXT?”
![]() Comment by Rikki July 30th, 2004 at 9:29 am |
I am so glad you alerted me to this, because I honestly did not know about any other official census forms until I read it on your site. I know I’m damn sure not giving them anything should that ‘request’ arrive. grrr. |