❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced plans to exclude illegal immigrants from the next U.S. census and instructed the Commerce Department to begin work on a new census based on the 2024 election results.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Department of Commerce.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made Thursday morning on Truth Social, with implications for the 2024 election and 2030 census.
💬KEY QUOTE: “People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The move could face legal challenges and significantly alter population counts, potentially affecting congressional representation and electoral college votes.
President Donald J. Trump announced Thursday morning that illegal immigrants will not be included in the next census. He directed the Commerce Department to begin work on a “new and highly accurate census” based on data from the 2024 presidential election.
“I have instructed our Department of Commerce to immediately begin work on a new and highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding: “People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS.”
The U.S. Census Bureau, which is part of the Commerce Department, currently includes illegal immigrants—referred to as “unauthorized migrants”—in its population counts. These figures are used for congressional apportionment and electoral college votes. The bureau defines the “foreign-born” population to include naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, temporary migrants, and unauthorized migrants.
Legal challenges could arise from Trump’s directive, as Section 2 of the 14th Amendment states that representatives should be apportioned based on the “whole number of persons in each State.” However, Trump’s focus on census accuracy comes as Republicans and Democrats battle over redistricting in states like Texas ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The 2020 census acknowledged errors that led to undercounts in Republican-led states like Florida and Texas, while Democrat-led states such as New York and Massachusetts were overcounted. If Trump’s plan is implemented, states with large illegal immigrant populations—such as California, Texas, and Florida—could see significant changes in their 2030 census numbers.
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