This Time, Latinos Are Up for the Count : Census: Outreach efforts have the Spanish-speaking commmunity primed, but an accurate tally grows less likely.

The 1990 census is under way, and we in the Latino community are very worried.

The increase in the number of Latino families who are poor and homeless, and the increase in discrimination against Latinos generated by the 1986 immigration law will make counting the Latino population more difficult in 1990 than in 1980--and in that census, up to 10% of the Latino population was missed.

The Latino community is doing all it can to promote the census; now those who are entrusted to conduct it must do all they can to ensure the best count possible. Unfortunately, there are many bureaucratic barriers to a full count that the government could remove if it were willing.

Many Latinos have been turned down for census jobs either because the English-language test weeded them out, or because they are not citizens, even though the Census Bureau is empowered to hire non-citizens for temporary positions in areas of need. There are many such areas in the Latino community, and we fear that they will not be adequately surveyed because of the lack of bilingual enumerators.

The Spanish-language census form is available only by calling an 800 number. Many people complain that they get a busy signal. We can only hope that they will keep trying to get through. Another barrier to an accurate count could be minimized if the Immigration and Naturalization Service would cease its neighborhood raids and street sweeps during the census period. The Census Bureau cannot hope for an accurate count unless the immigrant and undocumented population feels that the information will be kept confidential.

Our hearts go out to all those who have gone to work for the Census Bureau with a commitment to improving the count of Latinos. The bureaucracy has thwarted their best efforts. For instance, those sent to do outreach as community-awareness specialists were not given so much as a brochure to explain even the basics of the census process. This was unconscionable.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) has been conducting a mass outreach program to assist in Latino enumeration. As the census approached, we felt more and more frustrated under the daily pleas from people doing outreach work for the Census Bureau itself, asking us for bilingual materials, video tapes, posters and other educational aids. A month ago, the bureau started providing its workers with these materials, yet many have reported back to us that the supplies were insufficient. Some have even suggested, bitterly, that perhaps the outreach program was set up to fail.

Nevertheless, Latino organizations and community leaders have responded to the challenge of the census by conducting an unprecedented educational campaign. Here in Los Angeles and across the country, we have brought together Spanish-language television, radio and newspapers to promote a common census message. We have activated community groups, schools and churches, and the response has been overwhelming. The business community has responded by providing printing, sponsoring signs on buses and billboards, underwriting the production and broadcast of paid television spots, reminding employees to be counted, and much more.

But the institutional barriers to a full count remain, and it is evident that we will be fortunate to simply break even with the 1980 Hispanic undercount. The need to adjust the 1990 census figures to compensate for this is compelling. Settlement of a lawsuit to institute such a correction has been resisted by the Commerce Department, which conducts the census, and an early resolution is unlikely.

The 1990 census marks the bicentennial anniversary of American census-taking. For Latinos, it seems bound to fall short again. We may have to wait another 10 years for a fair count.