The 2010 U.S. Census is fast approaching and, according to this story from NPR’s Morning Edition, the recession will make it even harder for the government to make an accurate count. The decennial count directly impacts the yearly allocation of more than $200 billion in federal funding to states, cities, and municipalities. Unfortunately, many people affected by foreclosures or job loss are in transitory living arrangements and are harder than ever to track down. Furthermore, Labor Department data show that traditionally harder-to-count minority groups, such as Latinos and African Americans, are experiencing higher rates of unemployment. And the Morning Edition reports that recent immigration enforcement laws may make minority groups even less inclined to share information with census staff. Listen to the report here to see what the U.S. Census Bureau is doing to attempt an accurate count.