Trump Calls for New Census to Recount America's Population

Trump Orders New Census Excluding Undocumented Immigrants, Citing 2024 Election Data

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has directed the Commerce Department to conduct a new population census that excludes undocumented immigrants from the count, marking a significant departure from traditional census practices that could reshape congressional representation and federal funding distribution across states.

Breaking with Census Tradition

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated the new census would be "based on facts and figures of the modern era" and would incorporate results and information from the 2024 presidential election. The directive explicitly excludes "people who are in our country illegally" from the population count.

This represents a dramatic shift from the constitutionally mandated practice of counting all residents, regardless of legal status, which has been the standard since the first U.S. census in 1790. The Constitution requires an "actual enumeration" of persons every ten years, language that courts have historically interpreted to include all residents.

Political and Legal Implications

Congressional Redistricting at Stake

The census count directly determines how the 435 House of Representatives seats are allocated among states, making Trump's directive potentially explosive for American politics. States with large undocumented populations—primarily Democratic-leaning states like California, New York, and Illinois—could lose congressional seats and electoral votes if undocumented residents are excluded.

Conversely, states with smaller undocumented populations, many of which lean Republican, would likely gain proportional representation. This redistribution could alter the balance of power in Congress and the Electoral College for the next decade.

Federal Funding Formula Changes

Beyond political representation, census data determines the distribution of approximately $1.5 trillion in federal funding annually for programs including Medicaid, education grants, and infrastructure projects. States and localities with significant undocumented populations could face substantial funding cuts under Trump's proposed methodology.

Constitutional and Legal Challenges Expected

Legal experts anticipate immediate court challenges to any attempt to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census. During Trump's first term, the Supreme Court blocked his administration's effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, citing inadequate justification for the change.

The Constitution's language requiring enumeration of "persons" rather than "citizens" has been consistently interpreted by courts to include all residents. However, the conservative-majority Supreme Court could potentially view this issue differently than in previous decades.

Practical Implementation Hurdles

Even if legally permissible, excluding undocumented immigrants from the census faces significant logistical challenges. The Census Bureau would need to develop new methodologies to identify and exclude undocumented residents—a process that could take years and cost billions of dollars.

Additionally, conducting a new census outside the constitutionally mandated ten-year cycle raises questions about timing and legitimacy, particularly since the 2020 census was completed just four years ago.

Historical Context and Precedent

Trump's directive echoes his first-term efforts to alter census practices, which faced sustained legal opposition. The 2024 announcement suggests his administration views the current conservative Supreme Court as more receptive to such changes than the court that blocked his previous attempts.

The move also aligns with broader Republican efforts to challenge birthright citizenship and sanctuary city policies, representing another front in the ongoing national debate over immigration policy and its intersection with political representation.