This study was conducted during the 2010 Census to observe Nonresponse Followup interviews with households that speak a language other than English, in areas of the U.S. with heavy concentrations of residents with limited English proficiency. A multilingual research team consisting of seven sub-teams in the seven primary languages (Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese) was commissioned to carry out the research in the 2010 Census.

The objectives of this research were to collect extensive qualitative data that could provide an empirical basis for beginning to: (1) identify which linguistic and sociocultural factors appear to affect the enumeration of non-English speaking populations during the Nonresponse Followup interview process; (2) examine the measures that were taken by enumerators to negotiate access to non-English speaking households and to collect the required census data from these households; (3) observe if and how in-language census materials were used in the field; and (4) gain additional insight into how non-English speaking immigrant populations perceived and reacted to the census and its public messaging. Findings from this study will help develop recommendations for the 2020 Census planning process, by identifying issues that should be addressed in order to improve the enumeration process in that subset of the population that has limited, or entirely lacks, English proficiency. Most specifically, the findings in this report may be potentially relevant to further refining the procedures and approaches used to translate census questions; to the re-design of questionnaires and interview protocols for non-English speaking respondents; to developing policies for the use of interpreters in enumeration interviews; and to the development of interviewer training.