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
Dennis
May 27th, 2010
7:45 pm
Amazing how many people believe this article without doing a little research.
Lots of poor lost souls out there.
Jim
May 27th, 2010
7:45 pm
This article is wrong. Under the Article 13 of the Constitution, a census worker must be allowed into an apartment BUILDING, NURSING HOME, ETC… not INDIVIDUAL apartments. The nursing home manager or landlord can not refuse to give a count or the names of the individuals who reside there. A completely different rule than this writer wants you to believe. He is either a liar, or a complete bafoon.
steve
May 27th, 2010
7:45 pm
I will try one more time to get this posted since nobody else seems to see this.
I am a staunch conservative who lives on the left coast.
Not on of my votes have ever counted for anything and that situation is not liable to get better unless the stranglehold of the demoncrats here can in someway be broken.
I figure things this way,..There is not likely going to be a change unless there funding is cut that they
use to by cheap democrat votes with to wipe out my representation..
SO I will not be counted to reduce, as far as I possibly can, there ability to project their stifling power down my throat and buy influence.
Its my small gesture of defiance to these holier than thou scum!
The constitution is being ignored by this ilk and if you can’t beat your cursed enemies one way try another! They certainly enjoy getting these census numbers so they can stuff more legislative seats their way.
Nuff said.
Tell me wher I am wrong here?
If more people do this civil disobediencwe it may begin to have the intended effect of reducing there ability to project their unholy influence1
seanmom
May 27th, 2010
7:46 pm
Evidently, reading the Constitution is a lost art (not surprising, when your Administration doesn’t read ANY laws,even the ones they are passing). This is the Constitutional authorization for EVERYTHING the Census Bureau is doing (Article I, Section 2): “The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.” As THEY (that is, Congress) shall by law direct. In other words, whatever governing regulations Congress passes are CONSTITUTIONAL.
Whatever Congress decides.
If you turned your form in late or wrong, your address got assigned an enumerator. A certain number of households also receive follow-up visits or phone calls. These have a two-fold purpose. First, they confirm that the enumerator got the answers right. Second, they check that the enumerator actually went where they said they did so the TAXPAYERS’ MONEY isn’t just handed over to people aimlessly driving around and making up data.
Just answer the questions. The whole thing will be over by the end of the summer–and, who knows? You might get a new Congressman out of it. Just do us all a favor and make it an ethical, Constitutionally-focused one.
Ron
May 27th, 2010
7:47 pm
Yes, let them enter. They will be taken out in bodybags also.
misinformation
May 27th, 2010
7:48 pm
WRONG – Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
RIGHT – Census workers can enter your apartment BUILDING in your absence
A manager should give access to an apartment building OR provide names… one OR the other..
“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”
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode13/usc_sec_13_00000223—-000-.html
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May 27th, 2010
7:48 pm
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noah
May 27th, 2010
7:48 pm
Wow Bob. You obviously don’t know what your talking about. NOBODY can demand access to a private residence unless they have a legal means to do so and the 2010 Census is NOT one of those reasons. The census bureau doesn’t require the census takers to actually enter a residence to conduct a survey. What is required by law is a response from somebody in the household for census purposes. If they enter with permission, they can’t even tell the authorities about the heavy amounts of crack you are obviously smoking because of the strict confidentiality placed on the enumerators.
misinformation 2
May 27th, 2010
7:49 pm
WRONG – Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
RIGHT – Census workers can enter your apartment BUILDING in your absence
A manager should give access to an apartment building OR provide names… one OR the other..
“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”
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode13/usc_sec_13_00000223—-000-.html
Cheryl m
May 27th, 2010
7:49 pm
This guy is totally bogus! This is a total and complete fraud article trying to scare the populace. Instead of writing this psycho Big Brother crap, I think he should study the United States Constitution and stop believing the fascists who are spreading lies about their powers under color of law.
John Williams
May 27th, 2010
7:50 pm
Please, I’m a temporary Census Enumerator and I was trained to never ask to enter someones house. Get your facts straight. If someone invites me in and I feel safe, then and only then can I enter your house. Most of us need these jobs and trying to scare people is doing us a disservice!
seanmom
May 27th, 2010
7:50 pm
“As an Orthodox Jew, neither I nor my family will participate in the “census”. G-d explicitly forbade the enumeration of Jews, upon pain of death.”
Not to start a theological argument, but I’ve never heard of this. Where does it appear in Scripture?
Bill in California
May 27th, 2010
7:51 pm
As an enumerator, I know this is not correct policy or proper law.
Guard SGT
May 27th, 2010
7:51 pm
I am a Census Crew Leader. This is my 5th mission with the 2010 Census.
If the nay sayers had bothered to read Article 1 Section 2 of the US Constition, they would know that the Constitution grants the power to Congress to ask the questions they want us to answer. It is just that simple. But they are no better than the Barry Regime when it come to reading the Arizona Immigration Law. Ignorance must seem to both to be wonderful.
We are instructed NOT to enter any home even if invited. This is for our safety as we don’t know anything about the person who answers the door.
We do fingerprint everyone that is working for the US Census. I have seen people terminated because of their past. It does happen. Yes, it isn’t perfect. Myself, I have held Top Secret clearances in the military. That is a much tougher and greatly more expensive standard to meet. I wish we had the time and money to do a better job. Sadly, it is a no win battle. The nay sayers would complain about the cost if the US Census did that.
I am very impressed with the character and quality of the Team I lead. They are super people. I just wish those that slam the door on us had a small part of their character.
Guard SGT
whathappendtoprivacy
May 27th, 2010
7:51 pm
This is the government thugs at their worst. They could take anything and no one could do anything about it. They could do anything and no one could do anything about it. This sounds exactly like ACORN or SEIU in charge.
misinformation 3
May 27th, 2010
7:53 pm
WRONG – Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
RIGHT – Census workers can enter your apartment BUILDING in your absence
A manager should give access to an apartment building OR provide names… one OR the other..
“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”
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode13/usc_sec_13_00000223—-000-.html
John W
May 27th, 2010
7:53 pm
If every person in every state is going to get the states $1500 per person from the federal government, where is the money coming from?
Karl in AZ
May 27th, 2010
7:54 pm
I dare anyone to try an enter my residence without a legal warrant.
YehudaSF
May 27th, 2010
7:54 pm
@ seanmom “but I’ve never heard of this. Where does it appear in Scripture?”
Do you read Hebrew? If not you should open an English version of the Hebrew Bible. Why should I do your research for you? Look in the index / concordance an easy task for the “not lazy”.
comcass
May 27th, 2010
7:55 pm
bob barr you are a complete lunatic.
pointman
May 27th, 2010
7:56 pm
If a census worker walks into my house without my permission he will be carried out.
The Original Truthtube vueflix.com
xx28
May 27th, 2010
7:56 pm
Was out looking at houses with a Realtor a few weeks back. A census guy caught us coming out of an empty house. He asked if we both lived there and why we had been avoiding him. We told him that neither of us lived there, and I was just looking at it to possibly buy it. He then told us we were lying, and we had to answer his questions or we could go to jail. It was actually high comedy. We told him we were leaving and as we went to our car, he raced to his in an attempt to block us in. As he pulled up behind us, we pulled out the other side of the drive…. Whats more funny is we ran into him the next day as he was harassing someone at a house next door to another house I was touring… I waved, he flipped me off, and yelled an obscenity at us as we left…
Lloyd
May 27th, 2010
7:58 pm
I have received the two notices of a visit by the census worker. I am relieved by E Masters citing the law to keep me from worrying about the invasion. Meanwhile I am ignoring the invitation to contact the Census worker. I know that the only reason for the followup is due to my receiving _two_ census forms and only returning one. He really doesn’t want to know what I wrote on the other one.
Angela
May 27th, 2010
7:58 pm
Interesting. My friend is a census enumerator and was told that entering someone’s abode, even if they are home, is cause for dismissal.
Patrick
May 27th, 2010
7:58 pm
It’s fascinating how when you change the word “inquires” to “demands”, it makes Census workers, who are your friends and neighbors, seem like brownshirts. None of what is written here is accurate, and I think Mr. Barr fears losing his “right to privacy” (not granted in the constitution) because he has so many skeletons in his closet – affairs, abortions, and maybe, just maybe some experimental manlove before his mom made him become a Republican by offering to take away his family checkbook. Ok, the manlove this is speculation, but look at that mustache, c’mon.
seanmom
May 27th, 2010
7:58 pm
“The census form WAS instrusive. It asked not only for a head count, but also the relationship of individuals in the house to the owner. That may sound harmless, but that is irrelevant to counting. Who know how that information will eventually be used–shared with insurance companies, etc”
The individual census information cannot by law be used for SEVENTY-TWO YEARS. Only the aggregate data can be used. By anyone. Sharing of PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is forbidden by law and statute, with fines and imprisonment.
Heywood Jablomy
May 27th, 2010
7:58 pm
This Obama regime sickens me to my core. The Left continues to side with this kind of Nazified thuggery, because this is just what they want America to look like. We will have to do a Tienanmen Square to demand our rights. Of course, Obama can call out the troops to shoot people in the street, because he sees anyone who deigns to challenge him as a threat to national security.
ALewis
May 27th, 2010
7:59 pm
Filling the form out and mailing it in does nothing – they can still show up at your house. I filled mine out with the only question that I legally had to answer – how many people live in my house – and I mailed it in. Three weeks ago a worker showed up at my door. I told her in very plain words “I mailed it in”. Then I slammed the door in her face. I will do the same if they show up again.
shookie
May 27th, 2010
7:59 pm
and what are you going to DO about it, Bobby?
misinformation 5
May 27th, 2010
7:59 pm
WRONG – Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
RIGHT – Census workers can enter your apartment BUILDING in your absence
A manager should give access to an apartment building OR provide names… one OR the other..
“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”
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode13/usc_sec_13_00000223—-000-.html
David
May 27th, 2010
7:59 pm
In response to E. Masters, sir I followed your link and below you will find a direct quote from that article, and as you can see from the definition that I have helped you herewith the ingress means ENTRY, do your homework before you spew the venum, but what the heck if the President can complain about the Arizona law or accuse a police department of “acting stupidly”, and we normal citizens think of him as a wise man. Why would you not follow suit, just be careful where you are being led to sir.
“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”
MEANING OF INGRESS FROM DICTIONARY.COM
in·gress /ˈɪngrɛs/ Show Spelled[in-gres] Show IPA
–noun
1.the act of going in or entering.
2.the right to enter.
3.a means or place of entering; entryway.
Once again throw Sh-t out and see if it sticks, check the facts!
misinformation 5
May 27th, 2010
8:00 pm
yeah. sure i know the meaning.. but it is to buildings!!! not apartments… fool…
misinformation 6
May 27th, 2010
8:02 pm
WRONG – Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
RIGHT – Census workers can enter your apartment BUILDING in your absence
A manager should give access to an apartment building OR provide names… one OR the other..
“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”
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode13/usc_sec_13_00000223—-000-.html
Albert
May 27th, 2010
8:02 pm
I can see where having to deal with grumpy old confirmed bachelor moustace dandies like Barr would incline anyone to get a bit snippy. I had a visit from a census taker a couple of weeks ago (forgot to send in my form) and she was as nice as you could get.
Bob, go back to sipping juleps on the porch and quit rabble-rousing.
Harry Balzitch
May 27th, 2010
8:02 pm
enter my residence without permission. Huh ,ever hear of the castle doctrine. It means your
home is your castle and you have the right to open fire on any one not invited. entering a home without permission is enough of a threat for me to fire 3 warning shots right in your chest cavity.
So ask yourself do you feel lucky!!!
Saul Alinsky
May 27th, 2010
8:02 pm
Didn’t fill out my census at home. Instead went to another city, picked up a blank Census form from the library (”Be counted program”) and filled it out there with a hotel address. The local census worker where I live recently put up a “NO TRESPASSING” sign on his driveway. Apparently they are happy to gather your GPS location and intimate details of your life, but protective of their own privacy!!!
Grimriffer
May 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
So, when that cautious citizen decides to place a hidden camera in his home to capture the identity of the census worker who invaded his privacy and then seeks retribution (in whatever form he/she may choose), will the practice of home/privacy invasion by the senseless census worker stop? Maybe some people have to learn the hard way.
I’m just sayin’.
misinformation 7
May 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
WRONG – Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence
RIGHT – Census workers can enter your apartment BUILDING in your absence
A manager should give access to an apartment building OR provide names… one OR the other..
“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”
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode13/usc_sec_13_00000223—-000-.html
claspur
May 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
Problem with this constitutional violation is, when these workers start getting hurt, they and their families will be able to sue the government too.
president Soetoro is going to get a lot of people killed.
president Soetoro’s legacy will be measured by the crater He leaves.
seanmom
May 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
“Do you read Hebrew? If not you should open an English version of the Hebrew Bible. Why should I do your research for you? Look in the index / concordance an easy task for the “not lazy”.”
Oh, I see. You don’t know. Well, thanks anyway.
smilinjack
May 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
If they “execute” their “right” to enter my house without my permission, I reserve MY right of execution as well…………
Cheryl m
May 27th, 2010
8:04 pm
Just a reminder, anyone can declare protection under the Fifth Amendment from answering any question. One is not required to answer any question – this isn’g Nazi Germany, but their infringement is incrementally headed towards a fascist government one step at a time.
misinformation 7
May 27th, 2010
8:05 pm
Every property has geographical coordinates on record at the assessors office… the GPS does the same to make a map!!! fool…
MGroomer
May 27th, 2010
8:05 pm
Note to Census workers, don’t try this in Texas
SteveCan
May 27th, 2010
8:06 pm
Hope my pups don’t “chew on them” when they decide to enter my house …
Kenneth L. Brinzer
May 27th, 2010
8:07 pm
States need to sue under “states interest” in protecting the rights of their citizens. Individuals need to sue as a class action against the encroachment of a runaway federal government.
Mark
May 27th, 2010
8:09 pm
They are not welcome at my house.
Ktwoll
May 27th, 2010
8:10 pm
How does the Census trump the 4th Amendment that specifically states: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Not the landlord nor the renter can give such access to anyone’s home. That would be like me walking over to my neighbor saying I work at a bakery part time, and I want to check what your home has inside in case I like it better than mine. You would toss me out on my ear and rightly so.
YehudaSF
May 27th, 2010
8:11 pm
@ seanmom — nice try lazy slattern, your stupidity and laziness in no way indicate what I know or do not. You are typical of the evil lazy socialist “gimmee gimmee” crowd; wanting everything for free, and unwilling to expend any effort to get something (even knowledge) on their own.
Here is a little sample free for you, try Shemot, 30:12 you might also check Parshat Bamidbar. Of course this all assumes that you have the intellectual capacity to read such, not to mention the fortitude to actually undertake such a *gasp* onerous task.
Derek
May 27th, 2010
8:11 pm
I actually witnessed a census worker at an apartment complex near my home. He was sitting across from an apartment manager as they went through each of the apartments (on the computer) and collected information about the tenants — to include names, numbers, number of people on the lease, etc.. It’s scary to think that these people can obtain this information from your landlord without your authorization. Especially after someone recognized one of the census workers was a registered sex offender.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20005483-504083.html
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/NJ-Mom-Recognizes-Census-Worker-as-Sex-Offender-94185994.html