• Concentração em moradias superlotadas ou não convencionais: Famílias ou grupos de imigrantes muitas vezes compartilham residências, vivem em porões, garagens convertidas ou habitações informais, que podem não constar no Master Address File (MAF) do Census Bureau. 

• Barreiras linguísticas e culturais: Limitações no inglês e a ausência de materiais adequados em línguas maternas podem levar à não compreensão das perguntas, à baixa confiança no processo e à ausência de participação.

Além desses fatores, há ainda uma série de outros elementos que contribuíram para a subenumeração. Um exemplo recente e particularmente ilustrativo foi o Censo de 2020, que coincidiu com o início da pandemia da COVID-19, gerando inúmeros obstáculos operacionais e logísticos. Cidades com elevada concentração de estudantes foram especialmente afetadas, uma vez que grande parte desse contingente deixou temporariamente esses locais, retornando às suas regiões ou países de origem.

Adicionalmente, o medo e a profunda disrupção da vida cotidiana levaram muitas pessoas a não priorizar a resposta ao Censo. Outro fator relevante foi a impossibilidade de mobilização das prefeituras, universidades e organizações comunitárias e religiosas — atores fundamentais no engajamento populacional por meio dos chamados Complete Count Committees (CCC). Durante a pandemia, essas instituições concentraram seus esforços no atendimento às demandas emergenciais de saúde e assistência social, o que comprometeu severamente sua capacidade de apoiar a realização do Censo.

To access the Policy Paper, click this LINK:

 Papers:

USA – The Politization of the Statistical System by Marcio Pochmann

Rosenthal, M.D. (2000). Starving for Perfection: A Brief History of Advances and Undercounts in the U.S. Census. Government Information Quarterly, 17 (2), 193-208.

Bazuin, Joshua Theodore, and James Curtis Fraser (2013). How the ACS Gets It Wrong: The Story of the American Community Survey and a Small Inner City Neighborhood. Applied Geography 45 292-302.

Unchecking the Box: Has the U.S. government’s system of racial classification paved the way to a more equitable and just society?, David Bernstein, Winter 2022/2023. 

The 2025 Policy Paper, published by the Washington Brasil Office (WBO), serves as a critical instrument for analyzing and guiding the evolving relationship between the United States and Brazil under the new political dynamics emerging from recent leadership changes. As global governance structures shift and international alliances are tested, it becomes increasingly necessary to assess the impact of these transformations on bilateral cooperation, economic exchanges, democracy, human rights, and environmental policies. This paper provides an in-depth evaluation of key areas shaping U.S.-Brazil relations and offers actionable recommendations to strengthen diplomatic and strategic engagement between the two nations.

The primary objective of this policy paper is to present a structured analysis of the challenges and opportunities arising from the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency and its implications for Brazil’s domestic and foreign policy landscape. By examining the effects of these changes on democracy, trade, immigration, environmental policies, and multilateralism, the document aims to inform policymakers, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and the broader public about the strategic considerations that should guide U.S.-Brazil relations in the coming years.

Additionally, the policy paper underscores the importance of maintaining and expanding bilateral cooperation amidst shifting geopolitical tensions. Brazil’s increasing diplomatic role in global governance forums such as the G20 and BRICS presents both opportunities and challenges for engagement with the United States. As Brazil seeks to balance its relations with the United States and other global powers, this document emphasizes the importance of pragmatic and constructive dialogue to ensure that mutual interests, particularly in democratic resilience, sustainable development, and human rights protection, remain at the forefront of bilateral discussions.

To access the Policy Paper, click this LINK:

The Washington Brazil Office (WBO) is an independent institution that specializes in analyzing Brazil and supporting actions that strengthen the role of civil society and institutions dedicated to promoting and defending democracy, human rights, freedoms, and sustainable socioeconomic and environmental development in the country.

Their objective is to produce knowledge and support the international work of all sectors that require assistance, action, bilateral exchanges, knowledge production, and the establishment of cooperative relations between Brazil, the United States, and international organizations and bodies headquartered in the United States.