The Leadership Conference Thanks Robert Santos for Service as Census Bureau Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rachel Hooper, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Meeta Anand, senior director of the census and data equity program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, joined by Leadership Conference Census Task Force Co-Chairs Terry Ao Minnis of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and Arturo Vargas of NALEO Educational Fund, issued the following statement thanking Robert Santos for his service to the U.S. Census Bureau:

“We thank Robert Santos for his exceptional service to the U.S. Census Bureau, serving as director at the nation’s foremost and largest federal statistical agency responsible for collecting and publishing data through the decennial census, the American Community Survey, and other surveys that inform and improve national decision-making in both the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

“Director Santos brought to the bureau 40 years of experience in data, statistics, and the social sciences, in addition to a deep expertise in survey methodology and an unwavering commitment to a fair and accurate census. His leadership has mattered, and he will be remembered for his dedication to ensuring equitable data collection for all communities that accurately reflects historically undercounted groups.

“As the first person of color to serve as a Senate-confirmed Census Bureau director, Mr. Santos made history — not just through his appointment, but through his leadership in ensuring that every community, regardless of background or geography, was accurately represented in federal data. His contributions will have a lasting impact on the Census Bureau’s commitment to inclusivity, statistical excellence, and public trust.

“We urge President Trump to appoint someone who not only meets the statutory requirements in federal law but who will also uphold the bureau’s constitutional mandate and maintain its long-standing commitment to impartiality. The integrity of the U.S. Census Bureau must remain above partisan influence, ensuring that data collection and reporting continue to serve the American people with accuracy, transparency, and fairness.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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