U.S. Immigrant Population Declines for First Time in 50 Years Under Trump Policies

For the first time in five decades, the number of immigrants living in the United States has declined, a shift largely attributed to President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies. According to a report by The New York Post, citing Pew Research Center data, the immigrant population dropped by 1.4 million in the first half of 2025.

The total immigrant population now stands at 51.9 million, compared to 53.3 million at the start of Trump’s second term. Analysts link this decline to tougher border enforcement, mass deportations, and voluntary departures.

Figures from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) show that 1.6 million migrants voluntarily left the U.S., while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported over 332,000 people in just 200 days. In addition, ICE reported 359,000 arrests of illegal migrants, many of them in major sanctuary cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Despite the sharp decline, immigrants still represent 15.4% of the U.S. population — a higher share than during the Ellis Island era. Roughly 19% of the American workforce remains foreign-born, though this is slightly lower than earlier this year.

The Trump administration has also implemented sweeping changes at the border, nearly shutting down illegal crossings. Official data shows that crossings have dropped to fewer than 5,000 per month, with no migrants being released into the country after apprehension — a stark contrast to the policies under the Biden administration.

In addition to border crackdowns, the government is tightening rules for asylum seekers, visa holders, and foreign students. Visa holders are now under stricter monitoring for violations such as overstaying, criminal activity, or security concerns, with any infraction potentially leading to deportation.

ICE has been tasked with deporting up to 1 million undocumented migrants per year, though meeting its daily target of 3,000 arrests has proven difficult. Currently, about 60,000 migrants remain in federal custody.

The latest numbers underscore the administration’s aggressive stance on immigration and signal a historic shift, as the U.S. experiences its first decline in immigrant population in half a century.