 "The photograph shows special agents with Homeland Security Investigations leading a worker away from a workplace raid in Ohio in 2018, part of a string of such operations during the first Donald Trump administration. (Photo: Immigration and Customs Enforcement)")
Recent analysis by the Pew Research Center shows that, for the first time in decades, more immigrants are leaving the United States than arriving. Between January and June 2025, the immigration population, including both lawful and unlawful residents, fell from a record 53.3 million to 51.9 million, a drop of nearly 1.5 million people.
This significant change marks an important turning point. Experts noted that the United States last experienced negative net migration in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, when hundreds of thousands of Mexicans and Mexican Americans fled. Today, the decline in immigration is due to policy rather than an economic crisis.
The drop from January to June 2025 links to broad enforcement measures put into place during President Donald Trump’s second term. These include 181 executive actions focusing on limiting entry and increasing deportations.
According to the research, much of the population loss likely involves unauthorized immigrants, but there have also been departures among lawful foreign nationals. The percentage of immigrants in the overall US population decreased from 15.8 percent to 15.4 percent in that six-month period. Likewise, the proportion of immigrants in the labour force fell to 19 percent, indicating a loss of over 750,000 foreign-born workers.
Economists worry that this decline may worsen labour shortages in sectors such as agriculture, restaurants, and elder care.
Whether this trend continues depends on policy decisions and legal challenges. However, with Congress allocating more funds for enforcement and imprisonment, analysts think strict measures will stay in place throughout Trump’s term.