1. United States
2. Miss.
3. Letter

The removal of access to public data and research from the Census Bureau is deeply concerning. It raises serious questions about threats to the integrity and independence of this vital statistical agency. As an objective source of data on the U.S. population and economy, the Census Bureau must remain free from political interference that could undermine trust in its work. Enabling transparency and public access to taxpayer-funded data is essential for the Census Bureau to fulfill its mission of providing accurate, comprehensive information to guide decision-making and policy across both public and private sectors. Any attempts at data censorship jeopardize the bureau's role as an impartial collector and disseminator of facts. Furthermore, deleting data related to gender identity and sexual orientation would be an unacceptable erasure of key demographic groups. Reliable statistics on LGBTQ+ communities are critical for organizations working to protect civil rights and address discrimination. Decades of methodological research have gone into developing rigorous measures for these characteristics, and abandoning such efforts would be a devastating setback for social science. The Census Bureau and its comprehensive data products play an invaluable role in our society and democracy. I urge you to demand the full restoration of public data access and ensure the bureau can operate free from political pressure or censorship that compromises its independence and scientific integrity going forward. Protecting this institution's ability to generate robust, inclusive national statistics must be a top priority.