Census participation rates in the Rio Grande Valley are still not high enough. 

Local officials who attended the Futuro RGV Forum on Wednesday agreed that they need more time for people to fill out the census. 

Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez said there are two reasons why people aren’t filling it out.

“People are just generally indifferent, they don’t see why they should do it,” Mendez said. “Then there are some individuals here in the border concerned about citizenship.”

Cathy Lacy, a census regional deputy said there is no citizenship question on the census. 

“We’ll take an oath of confidentially and this includes the person walking the street, they take an oath of confidentially that any information they collect will be sworn for life if they release the information its a $250,000 fine or 5 years in jail,” Lacy said.

Local leaders urge the public to contact their senator's and governor's office so they can push the administration to extend the deadline for the sake of the Rio Grande Valley. 

Watch the video for the full story.