Census

Census to Stop Counting Americans a Month Early Amid Growing Fears of an Undercount

Census Bureau move has raised fears among civil rights groups, researchers and other experts who fear that a significant portion of the population could be left out of the count

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The Census Bureau is halting its field operations to count the population a month ahead of schedule, the agency's director announced in a statement Monday night, raising fears of a national undercount.

Steven Dillingham said in a statement posted on the bureau's website that the agency is ending all of its counting efforts on Sept. 30, a month sooner than previously expected, which means all enumerators who are door-knocking to collect responses from those who have not already self-responded onlineby phone or by mail will halt their efforts then.

He also said those self-response options will also close on that date.

The move has raised fears among various civil rights groups, researchers and other experts who fear that a significant portion of the population, such as minorities and immigrants, could be left of out the tally.

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