US Illegal Immigrant Population Decline
The estimated number of illegal immigrants in the United States has dropped by about a million since President Trump took office again in January.
This decrease appears to have happened between January and May, likely because of Trump’s vigorous deportation efforts and border restrictions. A report, which looked into data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics household survey, indicates this trend.
It seems that the decline might be, well, related to Trump’s election and the stricter enforcement measures he put in place, according to the report.
As of May, estimates suggested there were around 14.8 million illegal immigrants in the country. Back in January, that number was estimated to be around 15.4 million, according to prior analyses. Interestingly, during Biden’s administration, illegal immigration jumped by 50%, with record numbers of border crossings reported.
Some of these immigrants appear to have left on their own as a response to Trump’s policies, which might have led to what they’re calling a “self-swap.” A recent observation by CIS Fellow Andrew Arthur noted that nearly one million illegal immigrants have opted to leave under Trump’s administration.
In March, the Trump administration introduced the CBP Home App, which enabled illegal immigrants to voluntarily exit the country without facing penalties. Additionally, the White House began funding commercial flights for these individuals and even offered them an extra $1,000 to assist with their return.
The significant drop seems primarily due to a decline of 1.07 million in the non-citizen Latin American population since 1980, which significantly overlaps with illegal immigration, according to Stephen Camarota, who co-wrote the report.
Research also revealed a reduction of 601,000 foreign-born workers from January to May. The total number of foreign-born individuals fell by 957,000 during this same period.
However, it’s important to note that some undocumented immigrants might not have participated in this research due to concerns about possible repercussions from the federal government in light of Trump’s immigration policies.
