Latinos and the 2010 Census:

The Foreign Born Are More Positive

A new nationwide survey of Latinos by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, finds that foreign-born Latinos are more positive and knowledgeable about the 2010 U.S. Census than are native-born Latinos. While majorities of both groups say that the census is good for the Hispanic community, the foreign born are significantly more likely to feel this way. The foreign born are also more likely to correctly say that the census cannot be used to determine who is in the country legally; more likely to trust the Census Bureau to keep their personal information confidential; and more likely to say they have seen or heard messages encouraging them to participate in the census.



These are among the key findings from the Center's survey based on a nationally representative survey of 1,003 Hispanic adults conducted by landline and cellular telephone from March 16-25, 2010.



Hispanics are the nation's largest minority group. They numbered 46.8 million, or 15.4% of the total U.S. population, in 2008, up from 35.3 million in the 2000 Census. Among Hispanic adults ages 18 and older, 47% are native born and 53% are foreign born.

The report, "Latinos and the 2010 Census: The Foreign Born Are More Positive", authored by Mark Hugo Lopez, Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center and Paul Taylor, Director, Pew Hispanic Center is available at the Pew Hispanic Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.
The Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a nonpartisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.