The United States has experienced a significant drop in its foreign-born population during the first seven months of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, driven by historically low levels of illegal immigration and increased departures of foreign nationals. Data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), analyzed by Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler of the Center for Immigration Studies, reveals a 2.2 million decrease in the foreign-born population across the nation from January to August of this year.
The researchers attribute the decline to reduced new arrivals and a sharp rise in emigration, with estimates suggesting 1.6 million illegal immigrants have self-deported. Additionally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported over 400,000 individuals, surpassing previous records. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that border apprehensions have fallen to their lowest level in over five decades, with fiscal year 2025 figures showing 238,000 encounters—far below the 2.2 million recorded under the Biden administration in fiscal year 2022.
Camarota and Zeigler emphasized that the data reflects “a real reduction in new arrivals and a large increase in emigration,” countering claims of statistical anomalies. Their analysis highlights the effectiveness of Trump-era enforcement measures, including interior immigration operations and border security initiatives.
