Sorry, I take the Luke narrative to be very careful in telling a credible historical account. You might catch up on scholarship on the census issue as a lot is written about it.

The Herod in question was probably Herod Archelaus. Roman citizens were indeed told to return to hometowns.

https://www.academia.edu/44514439/Of_Jesus_and_Quirinius

https://www.academia.edu/26047721/The_Lucan_Censuses_Revisited