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EPIC to Congress: Suspend DHS Data Transfer to Census Bureau

In a statement to Congress, EPIC warned that the proposed transfer of DHS data to the Census Bureau would violate the federal Privacy Act. The data include personal information about citizens, immigrants, and foreign nationals. EPIC urged the Committee to "block DHS from carrying out this proposed data transfer pending further review." EPIC previously warned the House Oversight Committee that President Trump's Executive Order on collecting citizenship data could undermine Privacy Act safeguards. EPIC opposed the citizenship question in the 2020 Census, arguing that the Bureau failed to complete required privacy impact assessments. EPIC also filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case warning that collecting citizenship information presents "enormous privacy and security concerns." The Supreme Court found the rational for adding the citizen question "contrived" and the question was withdrawn.

January 8, 2020| Share: