Baldwin, Moore Call for Review of Milwaukee’s 2020 Census

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) sent a letter to the United States Census Bureau in support of the City of Milwaukee’s challenge to the 2020 Census of the city. Milwaukee submitted an official 2020 Census Count Question Resolution Housing Count Case today, and Baldwin and Moore’s letter was included in the request. If the request is accepted, the Census Bureau will review if certain errors were made in the 2020 Census. An accurate 2020 Census count is needed for Wisconsin’s communities to receive proper federal resources, such as funding for health care, infrastructure, housing, job programs, and more.

An analysis by the City of Milwaukee suggests that the Census undercounted nearly 10,000 residents, disproportionately undercounting Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino residents.

“An accurate Census is necessary for the appropriate distribution of federal funds and data-driven policymaking,” wrote the members of Congress.

“The City of Milwaukee is home to a large, diverse population of Wisconsinites. These Wisconsinites contribute to the vibrancy of Milwaukee and deserve to be reflected in an accurate Census,” the members continued.

The full letter can be found here and below.

The Honorable Robert Santos
Director
United States Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, D.C. 20233

Dear Director Santos:

We write to urge a prompt review of the City of Milwaukee’s 2020 Census Count Question Resolution Case. An accurate Census is necessary for the appropriate distribution of federal funds and data-driven policymaking. The City of Milwaukee’s submission includes evidence of a concerning undercount of housing units contributing to an overall undercount within the City. We urge the Bureau take this opportunity to correct the housing undercount and issue a new, official 2020 Census count for the City of Milwaukee in response to the City’s case submission.

In a challenging environment, communities across Wisconsin organized to encourage Census participation. Without this organizing, the undercount of Milwaukee’s population would likely have been much larger, and their efforts are to be commended. The unprecedented difficulties associated with the pandemic, however, resulted in an undercount that we are concerned will harm the City for years to come. By the City’s estimates, the Census failed to capture nearly 10,000 residents in aggregate and in particular failed to account for 13,000 Hispanic and Black residents. The disproportionate impact of the undercount on Hispanic and Black residents is deeply troubling and requires immediate attention.

The City of Milwaukee is home to a large, diverse population of Wisconsinites. These Wisconsinites contribute to the vibrancy of Milwaukee and deserve to be reflected in an accurate Census. We urge the Bureau to take prompt action to ameliorate the housing undercount that fails to capture the actual population of the City of Milwaukee. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

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