US Immigration Drops For First Time In 50 Years Amid Trump-Era Crackdown

For the first time in five decades, the number of immigrants living in the United States has declined, largely due to President Trump's new immigration policies, according to The New York Post. Data from the Pew Research Centre shows that the immigrant population dropped by 1.4 million in the first half of 2025. The total now stands at 51.9 million, compared to 53.3 million when Trump began his second term.

This decline mentioned in the report is linked to tougher border policies, mass deportations, and voluntary departures. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that 1.6 million migrants left the US on their own, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported over 332,000 people within 200 days. In addition, 359,000 illegal migrants were arrested across the country, many in sanctuary cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Despite the fall in numbers, immigrants still make up 15.4% of the US population-higher than during the Ellis Island era. About 19% of the American workforce is foreign-born, a slight drop from earlier this year, as per the news portal.

Trump's administration has nearly shut down illegal border crossings, reducing them to fewer than 5,000 per month. Unlike under the Biden administration, no migrants are being released into the country after crossing. The government is also tightening rules for asylum seekers, visa holders, and foreign students. Visa holders are under constant monitoring for violations such as overstays, criminal activity, or links to terrorism, and any irregularities can result in deportation.

ICE has been tasked with deporting up to 1 million illegal migrants per year, though meeting its daily arrest target of 3,000 has been challenging. Still, about 60,000 migrants are currently in federal custody. President Trump celebrated the shift by declaring that the US has experienced "negative net migration" for the first time in 50 years.