Citing Census, Hispanics Urge Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON

– Saying traditional census outreach will not be enough, Hispanic groups on Wednesday urged the Obama administration to follow through now on its pledge to pass immigration reform or risk an undercount of millions of people.

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Univision Inc., the League of United Latin American Citizens and SEIU announced a grassroots campaign that would supplement Census Bureau efforts to reach the traditionally hard-to-count Hispanic community. An estimated 1 million Hispanics, or about 3 percent of the Hispanic population, were missed in 2000.

"Make no mistake about it: The census cannot succeed if Latinos are not fully counted," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO, noting that Hispanics make up half of the nation's percentage growth. "We are the future of the

United States

."

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