Dupage Policy Journal

A Democratic state senator lauded President Joe Biden's pick of Robert Santos to head the U.S. Census Bureau, which, if approved would make him the first Latinx and person of color to lead the agency. 

President Biden's White House announced the Santos nomination April 13. He is one of the nation's leading statisticians and the president of the American Statistical Association. 

"Rob Santos is one of the country's leading statisticians and the American Statistical Association's president," Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) said in an April 14 Facebook post. "I’m thrilled to see him nominated for such a crucial role."

As the agency’s next director, Santos would become involved with the 2020 census delay court proceedings and other major survey productions.

Santos would also help develop strategies for the 2030 count to determine a proper funding allocation and political representation and addressing concerns related to future census data gatherings.

"If confirmed, I will support the bureau and its staff in its mission to provide quality population and economic data to the nation," Santos said, NPR reported in an April 13 article. "The principles of transparency, scientific independence, and integrity will be key in allowing the Census Bureau to thrive and innovate over the coming decade."

Santos, the Urban Institute vice president and chief methodologist, co-authored a report warning of an inaccurate undercount of people of color occurring since 1990.

He later analyzed the accuracy of the data as a member of the American Statistical Association.

As a contributor of the American Statistical Association and one of the top statisticians in the country, Santos is projected to succeed Dillingham, a Trump-appointed director who reigned in January after complaints were filed against him by whistleblowers, accusing him of releasing an incomplete data report related to noncitizens.