Former President Donald Trump has called for a new nationwide census that would exclude individuals residing in the United States without legal documentation, a move that could significantly reshape the country’s demographic data and political representation.
In a statement posted to his Truth Social platform on Thursday morning, Trump said he had directed the Department of Commerce to begin preparations for a “new and highly accurate CENSUS,” one that would incorporate data from the 2024 presidential election and specifically exclude undocumented migrants.
“People who are in our country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS,” Trump wrote.
The U.S. Census, conducted every ten years and mandated by the Constitution since 1790, plays a critical role in determining congressional representation, the allocation of federal funding, and infrastructure planning. Traditionally, the Census Bureau counts all residents living in the United States — regardless of citizenship or immigration status — through surveys and door-to-door data collection efforts.
The proposal marks Trump’s latest attempt to influence key national institutions. It follows his recent dismissal of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and criticism of the Federal Reserve’s leadership. His administration has consistently made immigration enforcement a policy priority, launching multiple initiatives to target undocumented immigrants.
During his first term, Trump attempted to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. However, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the move, stating the administration’s justification lacked credibility. A citizenship question had last appeared in the 1950 census.
According to Pew Research Center estimates, approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants currently reside in the U.S.
More than 13,000 permanent staff work at the Census Bureau, with hundreds of thousands of temporary workers employed during census years. The bureau has not yet commented on Trump’s announcement.
The most recent census in 2020 recorded a total U.S. population of 331,449,281.