WASHINGTON — Census Bureau Director Robert Santos suggested changes the agency may take to the next decennial census after undercounts in minority communities worsened in the 2020 count amid the coronavirus pandemic and endemic mistrust in government.
To deal with misses before the 2030 census comes around, “we need to grab that by the horns,” Santos told the agency’s Scientific Advisory Committee at a meeting Thursday. A report released last week showed the agency missed almost one in 20 Latinos in the country as part of the decennial count that guides more than $1.5 trillion in federal spending annually. Advocates immediately called for fundamental changes to the process.
To avoid further misses, the Census Bureau is looking at more ways to engage minority communities and address mistrust they may have of the federal government, Santos said. The agency may also consider taking on so-called easier-to-count communities, such as homeowners, through cheaper methods like administrative records to free up funds for in-person counting efforts in minority groups.
