Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
Thousands of census workers, including many temporary employees, are fanning out across America to gather information on the citizenry. This is a process that takes place not only every decade in order to complete the constitutionally-mandated census; but also as part of the continuing “American Community Survey” conducted by the Census Bureau on a regular basis year in and year out.
What many Americans don’t realize, is that census workers — from the head of the Bureau and the Secretary of Commerce (its parent agency) down to the lowliest and newest Census employee — are empowered under federal law to actually demand access to any apartment or any other type of home or room that is rented out, in order to count persons in the abode and for “the collection of statistics.” If the landlord of such apartment or other leased premises refuses to grant the government worker access to your living quarters, whether you are present or not, the landlord can be fined $500.00.
That’s right — not only can citizens be fined if they fail to answer the increasingly intrusive questions asked of them by the federal government under the guise of simply counting the number of people in the country; but a landlord must give them access to your apartment whether you’re there or not, in order to gather whatever “statistics” the law permits.
In fact, some census workers apparently are going even further and demanding — and receiving — private cell phone numbers from landlords in order to call tenants and obtain information from them. Isn’t it great to live in a “free” country?
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1,749 comments Add your comment
Barbara
May 28th, 2010
4:35 pm
For the 2000 census the census taker came to my house after I had mailed in back. She wanted to know my ethnic background. Told her it was none of her business! Wanted to know to how much our income was, none of her business!
I don’t know if she asked our neighbors – though how they would know? ? ?
JeffT
May 28th, 2010
4:40 pm
We received the ACS, after sending our census form back many days late. We decided to delay the ACS, a huge anal exam (what time do you leave for work, down to the minute, do you have trouble getting up/down stairs, all my utility bill info, my wages, etc.) as a silent protest. On May 1st, Saturday, the harassing phone calls started. My wife took them all and did really well. After the 7th call and the threat to “send this to the next level” (Boot on the throat, maybe?) and the sending of a second 48 question form, we decided to fill it out and send it in. Enumeration my arse. As for the propaganda the info is for our local community to better serve us, they wouldn’t know what to do with the information if they had it handed to them on a silver platter. My town can’t even fix our water/sewer problems without “losing” $500,000 over the last 18 years!
JamesInGA
May 28th, 2010
4:40 pm
All of you people chiding and mocking people for not wanting to disclose personal information don’t know your history, including you census workers. It is clearly documented FACT that FDR used the census to round up Japanese-Americans during World War 2. You think this can’t happen again? The purpose of the census is to allocate representatives for the House – PERIOD. They do NOT need to know my race, income, number of bathrooms, or ANY OTHER INFORMATION. They don’t need to know my race so they can gerrymander the districts and manipulate the political process. I mailed back my form with the number of residents in my household but they called my landlord and tried to make him talk (he didn’t). This is disgraceful and un-American. Shouldn’t we be getting over race as an issue? The census clearly doesn’t think so.
Dorothy Bleything
May 28th, 2010
4:40 pm
don’t take it out on the census worker. they are just people trying to make a few extra bucks. I doubt any of the lowly enumerators (the people knocking on your doors) would ever walk in your home and I know, because I am one, no where in our training were we told to use any kind of pressure or strong arm tactics to get the information. We ask, if refused, we write that down and give it to our crew leader. We’re done. Point your anger at an over invasive, micro-managing controlling government, that has been incrementally taking our freedoms because people, and many of them are the people who have commented here, want freebees, guarantees of good living and complete protection from all of life’s dangers and have given the government the power in hopeful exchange for them. Vote better! Vote out any official that wants bigger government or is against any part of our Constitution and Capitalism.
OrochiTabris
May 28th, 2010
4:45 pm
Bob hasn’t made false statements about anything? The main point of his post (it’s in the title) is that census takers are authorized to enter your apartment if you’re absent. That they can DEMAND entry, and being denied entry results in a fine. Which is false. I could be generous and say it was a misinterpretation on his part, but I’m not feeling that generous.
But whatever, defend him, my credibility isn’t on the line here. He talks about sheeple, but he has no problem with people accepting obvious fear-mongering and defending the guy spouting it. I guess I’m one of the sheeple, jumping on that “researching claims before accepting them as fact” bandwagon. How foolish of me.
I like how Llew put “I WAS ASKED” and “I REFUSED TO ANSWER” in all caps, even though by his own account there was no push for him to answer. So… He refused to answer questions he was under no obligation to answer? What a maverick!
Not particularly convinced by that story anyway. Census takers aren’t supposed to go beyond the questions on the census, so not only are those questions optional they’re unauthorized. Either he’s HEAVILY embellishing, or his place just got cased for a burglary by a fake census taker. …Or a real census taker looking for a nice place to burgle. Which would explain the questions about his schedule and income. If any of that happened.
I gotta admit, my troll-sense has been severely messed with by politics. Some of the sincere stuff is worse than anything trolls could make up.
Al
May 28th, 2010
4:53 pm
But if I came home and found someone there, I would feel that my life was in danger and take appropriate action, and rightfully so.
Kevin
May 28th, 2010
5:01 pm
There are a lot of stupid people out there if you believe census workers are demanding access to your home. I am a landlord and every meeting I have had with a census worker has been quick and not really obtrusive at all. But maybe this wouldn’t even be an issue in the first place if you would take the 5 minutes it takes to fill the form out.
N.H.
May 28th, 2010
5:04 pm
I had a census worker who literally harrassed my neighbor. He repeatedly returned to her apartment unit, knocking and demanding that she let him in, so that he could ask questions about me. No wonder the apartment manager allowed this….they didn’t want to pay a $500 fine!
Lisa
May 28th, 2010
5:05 pm
This is the relevant code. It does not say anyone can come into your home/apartment. They are allowed access into a building/apartment house-not the individual units.
13 USC Sec. 223 01/05/2009
-EXPCITE-
TITLE 13 – CENSUS
CHAPTER 7 – OFFENSES AND PENALTIES
SUBCHAPTER II – OTHER PERSONS
-HEAD-
Sec. 223. Refusal, by owners, proprietors, etc., to assist census
employees
-STATUTE-
Whoever, being the owner, proprietor, manager, superintendent, or
agent of any hotel, apartment house, boarding or lodging house,
tenement, or other building, refuses or willfully neglects, when
requested by the Secretary or by any other officer or employee of
the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, acting
under the instructions of the Secretary, to furnish the names of
the occupants of such premises, or to give free ingress thereto and
egress therefrom to any duly accredited representative of such
Department or bureau or agency thereof, so as to permit the
collection of statistics with respect to any census provided for in
subchapters I and II of chapter 5 of this title, or any survey
authorized by subchapter IV or V of such chapter insofar as such
survey relates to any of the subjects for which censuses are
provided by such subchapters I and II, including, when relevant to
the census or survey being taken or made, the proper and correct
enumeration of all persons having their usual place of abode in
such premises, shall be fined not more than $500.
-SOURCE-
(Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, 68 Stat. 1023; Pub. L. 85-207, Sec. 17,
Aug. 28, 1957, 71 Stat. 484.)
Sarah
May 28th, 2010
5:06 pm
This is 100% FALSE. You sir, need to re-check your sources to make sure they are CREDIBLE before you put blatent lies such as this on the internet, adding to the already overwhelming paranoia this nation already has about the government and the census.
My father was a census worker supervisor for months before the stress of the job landed him in the chest pain clinic of the Emergency Room (he’s a cardiac patient.) He spent hours upon hours reading and re-reading EVERY last word of information and documentation he was given to him . NOWHERE did it say they can access your residence in your absence.
You make me sick.
Holly
May 28th, 2010
5:06 pm
I live in Fl, and i realize it may be different in GA ( where I born and raised), but we had a census worker show up here a few weeks ago. It was hot, and we asked her to come inside, and she said that they were no longer allowed to enter homes even if invited by the resident.
Robert
May 28th, 2010
5:12 pm
Right and during the next Senseless count they will not only be able to enter but will be able to demand you prepare them something to eat and a nice bottle of wine to go with it.
D
May 28th, 2010
5:14 pm
There is absolutely ZERO NEED to conduct a census. Through your drivers license, social security, taxes etc. they know exactly where you live. They know all of this info already.
The reason for the census is to obtain info that is truly none of their business to begin with and for Obama to employ people and waste our tax dollars.
Jessie
May 28th, 2010
5:16 pm
Bob Barr your irresponsible blog on the census is creating needless fear and drama. ALL of your MISinformation has been ceremoniously debunked http://factcheck.org/2010/05/more-census-nonsense/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
chris
May 28th, 2010
5:20 pm
If one of those idiots try to come in my house, they’re getting a count of buck shot in their faces. You enter my house uninvited, and you pay the price.
Vincent
May 28th, 2010
5:20 pm
This article is pure fear mongering. I work for the census and we have been trained never to enter into or demand anything. The only truth here is that the constitution mandates the census. We don’t ask for SS numbers or income data, just birthdates, ages etc. Trying to verify the number of people and where they live for determining Congressional representation, Federal aid to Highways and Schools. Yes I like Alex Jones, I have a couple of questions about 911 but I’m ready to stand up and be counted. If you don’t want to answer a specific question try just refusing if that’s how you really feel. Report any problem to your local census office, every worker has the local number with them. We are just people. If you run across a bad apple report them.
jeff
May 28th, 2010
5:20 pm
read the law bob before you blog about it. you sound like a paranoid idiot
deogi
May 28th, 2010
5:23 pm
Let them ask for my cell phone number and they would get (202) 456-1414, the White House
Gordon Bennett
May 28th, 2010
5:27 pm
Yeah well I don’t know about the rest of you but I havent forgotten that there is a WAR going on and I was taught that you are supposed to support your President in wartime, no matter what else you might think of him. The Censis is a part of that war effort, and I for one applaud him and urge all true americans to put country and freedom before politics. I have no love for Fartbama, but as long as he is my President I will give him that piece of DUE RESPECT.
Census Workers Are Permitted To Enter Your Home Against Your Wishes « Blurb-O-Rama
May 28th, 2010
5:30 pm
[...] Bob Barr: What many Americans don’t realize, is that census workers — from the head of the Bureau and the Secretary of Commerce (its parent agency) down to the lowliest and newest Census employee — are empowered under federal law to actually demand access to any apartment or any other type of home or room that is rented out, in order to count persons in the abode and for “the collection of statistics.” [...]
CON Fused
May 28th, 2010
5:32 pm
Well..can they or can they not enter your house if one is absent??? The verdict is still out..I hear from experts, neophytes, census workers, plain ole’ everyday citizens, still I am CON Fused..
Kim
May 28th, 2010
5:33 pm
Old-fashioned booby traps and lawsuits + tar and feathers.
Lrn2Report
May 28th, 2010
5:34 pm
What an excellent piece of fiction. Too bad reporters don’t both with things like facts or research anymore.
Lrn2Report
May 28th, 2010
5:34 pm
don’t bother (not don’t both)
Eric
May 28th, 2010
5:34 pm
Dude, you are so full of BMM (bowel movement material). Landlords must allow access to the premises–opening a community gate, for example–not access to an unoccupied apartment. What would a census worker gain from an empty apartment, anyway? Is the parrot going to answer the questions about birthdays and race? And a census worker that can complete a questionnaire over the phone saves all of us money by not having to spend time on another personal visit. You should get your facts straight before you spew written vomit over the web.
Thursday Thoughts : 101 Dead Armadillos
May 28th, 2010
5:35 pm
[...] Do you live in an apartment? You may want to keep something in mind if you do. Thousands of census workers, including many temporary employees, are fanning out across America to gather information on the citizenry. This is a process that takes place not only every decade in order to complete the constitutionally-mandated census; but also as part of the continuing “American Community Survey” conducted by the Census Bureau on a regular basis year in and year out. [...]
NotAnObot
May 28th, 2010
5:36 pm
The non-natural born citizen occupying the White House does not represent me. Everything he has signed into in law, including executive orders (royal decrees) are null and void.
We’re all going to have to make a choice very soon, about what we are going to stand for — and against.
Kim
May 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
Old fashioned booby traps and lawsuits + tar and feathers.
Robert Sult
May 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
This the first I heard of this one
I will have to say it the way it is “Over my dead body”
No one – NO ONE comes into my home – People for your own health don’t test me.
From the Local thief – to anyone else (STAY OUT- STAY ALIVE)
MikeK
May 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
I didn’t fill out a census because I don’t believe all that money should be spent on such a careless way but that’s besides the point. What exactly would they need to get in your apartment, home etc for anyway? I mean, I thought the questions could only be answered by the person. What information would they think they could get by just being inside your place?
Renny
May 28th, 2010
5:39 pm
In the original House Obamanationcare bill was a section that empowered “citizen healthcare workers”–whatever they are–ACORN?–to enter any home and find out if children are properly immunized, if senior citizens are taking their meds. properly, IF ANY GUNS IN THE HOUSEHOLD ARE NOT REGISTERED OR ARE NOT KEPT IN LOCK BOXES, so why should we be surprised that Census people can now enter homes in violation of the 4th Amendment?
darko714
May 28th, 2010
5:39 pm
My rottweiler will be angry.
elephant4life
May 28th, 2010
5:41 pm
Interesting. And what part of this is actually constitutional? Where is the warrant? Where is probable cause? What crime has been committed by the tenant? Is there any documented instance of this actually happening, and if so, has there been a court challenge by the agrieved party who would then have standing? Disturbing as this is, I worked as a crew leader in the 2000 Census, and at no time were we given instructions, or told to instruct our teams, to invade someone’s home. Nowhere did that directive appear in any of the training materials. Quite the contrary, we were told to exercise the utmost respect for the privacy and property rights of the citizens, who justifiably resent and distrust the census process, even during the Non-Response Followup Phase. And quite frankly, I would think the chances of an invading census worker being capped by one of those bitter, bible-thumping, gun-toting people would be too great a risk.
J Stein
May 28th, 2010
5:41 pm
The census is only a means to count of heads for representation in the congress. All they really need to know is the number of citizens at the address. Everything else is BS.
J Stein
May 28th, 2010
5:44 pm
you have a president that is aleady committed 2 felonies so can you really put it past him?
USNpops
May 28th, 2010
5:46 pm
I read the article, and all I see it that the law exists to allow Census workers to enter just about any premises they want. Doesn’t say they have, or will, but that the law exists. Which in my mind is unconstitutional, and should be repealed or modified before some nut actually takes advantage of it. It is unconstitutional to mandate that the citizens of any state be required by federal law to purchase anything, but read the new healthcare bill. So being unconstitutional in this day and age is acceptable.
Dusty Bridges
May 28th, 2010
5:49 pm
Isn’t this what all the “real American” supporters of the patriot act wanted in the first place?
Bobbito'
May 28th, 2010
5:50 pm
After reading the Statute it seems to me they do have permission to enter one’s residence…I make myself sick. I love Obama…no I don’t ..yes I do..no I don’t. can’t seem to make up me mind here..hep me folks and hurry because ..Saturday Night Fever is coming on and sure don’t wanna miss dat..
Long Island
May 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
ig·no·rant (gnr-nt)
adj.
1. Lacking education or knowledge.
2. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.
3. Unaware or uninformed
4. Bob Barr
Jodi
May 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
I have two properties. Census forms were filled out and returned for both, but still the census workers showed up at these properties. At one of the properties they’ve showed up three times after I had already called back one of the census takers and given info. Today I had another census taker show again (this census taker, too I had called back and this time I refused to give any more `answers.
I don’t know what kind of scam this administration is pulling this time, but a scam it is! The questions are more than intrusive and I will not answer any more questions other than how many people are living at my properties and ages, period. Anything else asked, I consider intrusive and in some cases unconstitutional (such as race).
Savannah77
May 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
No census worker will be “invited” to enter my home or my property. In 1990 I was approached on my property shortly after at 7/8 a.m. by 3 escaped-cons in a stolen car posing as census workers. I was standing beside a boat holding a leash with a doberman on the other end, the dobie was observing and could not bee seen by the cons. One of the cons got out of the car approaching me asking my name and how many lived in the home, I dropped the lease and my beloved Bruno chashed the fool all the way back to the car showing all teeth, nearly biting his arm as he entered the car. About that time my Father came out of the house with a shotgun. The car sped away. I called the Sheriff. The cons were arrested within the hour! So if anyone asks there are 3 people living in my home, that is all the info I will give. I may throw out a copy of the consitution to educate anyone who knocks on my door.
mark elder
May 28th, 2010
5:57 pm
If I caught them doing that they would never find their bodies…
Linda
May 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
I’m a census-taker too and can tell you that Barr’s claims are pure BS. I have entered people’s residence ONLY at their invitation, as we were trained. We also have no authority to DEMAND anything, and doing so would be totally counterproductive to doing our jobs. All we can do is ask and I think we’re all intelligent enough to know that hostile demands won’t help us get our jobs done.
It’s interesting to see the tough guys here, ready to sic their pooch on us or shoot us, refusing to understand that Bob’s scare article is an out-and-out lie. Y’all remind me of teenage rebels without a clue.
Blazing star
May 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
I hope they feed myhungry Rotweiler first.
Ron Hert
May 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
This idea has been enlarged to a near error. First of all the Census Taker only enters the home if invited, and if the person is 17 years or older thats giving the invitation. The only info that can be accquired from a neighbor or a landowner is if the listed person lives there still. Now these rules may change, but as of the 14 th of May these were the operating rules. Besides, anyone entering into a home where the 17 year old is the only one there is crazy, and can be held guilty if there is a complaint.
DIck TUck
May 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
I glad so many of you NEA “educated” liberal morons think you know the precise legal definition of the term “such premises”.
Bob Lionel
May 28th, 2010
6:02 pm
I hope they can explain to my dogs why they are there. If not I’m guessing they are going to have a really bad day at work. I work from home and one of those assclowns rang my doorbell a few days ago. As I was putting my conference call on mute, I had started to go downstairs to see who it was when they started pounding on my door. I would have talked to them up til that point. Instead, I simply walked into the garage, turned on the automatic sprinkler system to “test” to give them a nice soaking and then I went back upstairs to finish my call.
Jim in Williamsburg
May 28th, 2010
6:08 pm
Where are the facts? Who did these things? Put them in jail or admit its made up. I am a census worker and have all the manuals and training. The supposed acts herein has nothing to do with the census training given or received here in Virginia. Remember the constitution? We have no right to enter. If some turkeys were getting cellphones or access from landlords, they were exceeding their authority. Possibly the whole article is a myth, however.
Neil Bates
May 28th, 2010
6:08 pm
I work for the US Census now as an Enumerator (the employees of USCB who go around asking the questions.) Mr. Barr’s article is misleading. Even if in legal theory we have the privilege of asking for such access etc. we are instructed to keep trying to ask directly as residence as long as possible. We can ask information from other than the resident and sometimes get it, but we don’t demand it or threaten the sources or original target residents with legal action. I have to wonder what Mr. Barr’s evidence for “demanding” is, is that really just asking? And sure, legal action would be possible in principle but it’s like saying you could go to jail for not paying a library fine.
And even if some extra questions are answered, the current form has many fewer questions than in earlier decades (that asked about income etc.) Also, the Census is at least in the Constitution. BTW, we wouldn’t have to go around scrounging for every person who didn’t turn in a form if conservatives were more tolerant of statistical projection, instead of demanding we directly count every single person in strict literalism of COTUS language.
Finally: how about more reporting on real irresponsibility like misconduct of BP, instead of hypotheticals and vague, unsourced claims of wrongdoing by the USCB?
Note: My own two cents, not an official statement from USCB.
MICHAEL
May 28th, 2010
6:11 pm
I GUESS THERE IS NO MORE CONSTITUTION ! SOCIALISTS, EVEN SELF ADMITTED COMMUNISTS WORKING AS ADVISER’S FOR A MAYBE PRESIDENT ! I DON’T BUY THAT BIRTH CIRTIFICUIT SHOWN ON NEW PAPER. OBAMA RAN ON FULL GOVERNMENT CONTROL, AND DOING A GREAT JOB ! OUR RIGHTS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY BY THE SECOND. FULL GOVERNMENT CONTROL IS HERE RIGHT NOW ! AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.