Trump's immigration crackdown yields sharp decline in foreign-born population, study finds
By bellecarter // 2025-10-13
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  • Under President Trump's second term, the U.S. saw a 2.2 million drop in immigrants (both legal and illegal) from January to August 2025, with an estimated 1.6 million illegal aliens leaving—one of the steepest declines ever recorded.
  • Aggressive measures—including workplace raids, visa compliance crackdowns and ICE deportations—led to 400,000+ deportations and 1.6 million self-deportations, as migrants feared enforcement. "Catch and Release" was fully dismantled, with zero migrants released into the U.S. interior for five straight months.
  • Fiscal Year 2025 saw fewer than 238,000 arrests—the lowest level in 55 years—aligning with DHS data and confirming a reversal of Biden-era surges.
  • The decline coincided with slowed job growth (27,000 new jobs/month vs. 171,000 in late 2024), hitting immigrant-heavy sectors like construction and hospitality. Media reports documented families pulling children from schools and businesses losing workers due to voluntary departures.
  • Despite skepticism, researchers found no drop in survey response rates, suggesting the CPS accurately captured the trend. Analysts debate whether this marks a permanent demographic shift or a temporary reaction to enforcement pressure.
The United States has seen a dramatic drop in its foreign-born population during the first seven months of President Donald Trump's second term, according to a new analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). Researchers Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler found that the total number of immigrants—both legal and illegal—declined by 2.2 million from January to August 2025, with an estimated 1.6 million illegal aliens leaving the country. The findings suggest that Trump's aggressive enforcement policies, including workplace raids and stricter visa compliance, have significantly altered migration patterns—marking one of the steepest declines ever recorded. The report, based on the Current Population Survey (CPS), aligns with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data showing a historic reduction in illegal immigration. In Fiscal Year 2025, border apprehensions fell to their lowest level in 55 years, with fewer than 238,000 arrests. Additionally, DHS confirmed that ICE deported more than 400,000 individuals through targeted operations, while another 1.6 million illegal immigrants self-deported—a phenomenon analysts attribute to heightened enforcement fears. "We think the evidence is strong that most or all of the decline in the foreign-born population shown in the CPS is real and primarily reflects a reduction in new arrivals and, in particular, a large increase in emigration," wrote Camarota and Zeigler. The study also noted that DHS has completely dismantled the "Catch and Release" policy implemented under former President Joe Biden, with zero migrants released into the U.S. interior for five consecutive months—a stark contrast to the previous administration's approach.

Economic and labor market impacts

The decline coincides with a slowdown in U.S. job growth, particularly in industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor, such as construction and hospitality. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a sharp drop in employment gains, averaging just 27,000 new jobs per month from May to August—far below the 171,000 monthly average in late 2024. "The numbers strongly suggest that the U.S. is entering a new phase of migration dynamics—one defined by reduced illegal inflow and increased voluntary return migration," the CIS researchers noted. Media reports have documented widespread anecdotal evidence of immigrants leaving voluntarily, fearing deportation. Stories from outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and NPR describe families withdrawing children from schools, businesses losing workers and long-term residents repatriating to avoid enforcement actions. Some analysts have questioned whether the CPS data fully captures the foreign-born population, given potential reluctance among immigrants to participate in government surveys amid heightened enforcement. However, CIS researchers found no significant drop in response rates or increased refusal to answer immigration-related questions. "The survey was able to capture the dramatic increase in the foreign-born, much of it illegal due to the border crisis, in the prior four years," the report stated. "So it stands to reason that the large falloff in the immigrant population over the first seven months of this year is an indication that the CPS is again capturing a real and sudden change in migration patterns." The findings underscore a major shift in U.S. immigration trends under Trump's renewed enforcement policies, Brighteon.AI's Enoch points out. While some skeptics argue the decline may be overstated, the consistency of CPS data, corroborating DHS reports and widespread anecdotal evidence, suggests a real demographic reversal. As Camarota and Zeigler concluded, "The weight of the evidence indicates that the decline is real." With immigration remaining a polarizing issue, the study offers a measurable benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of enforcement strategies—and their broader economic and societal impacts. As more data emerges, policymakers and analysts will continue debating whether this trend represents a lasting transformation or a temporary response to political pressure. Watch the video below that talks about self-deporting migrants. This video is from the TREASURE OF THE SUN channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

YourNews.com CIS.org Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com
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