EDINBURG – On Thursday, Census 2020 staff joined local officials in Edinburg to talk about the importance of the national event.

Congressman Vicente Gonzalez says 10 years ago, the Rio Grande Valley was under counted and it cost big time.

“We are engaging community leaders, engaging the mayors, and the county commissioners, to ensure that every neighborhood, every colonia, every area that has a likelihood or a possibility of going under counted that we engage them and we ensure them that they are safe by doing it that is the right thing to do. For the community and for the country and for South Texas,” the congressman said.

Gonzalez says people should not be afraid to fill out the census form.

Immigration status will not be questioned.

Watch the video above for the full report.