The United States has recorded a drop in its immigrant population for the first time in more than half a century, according to a new analysis of census data by the Pew Research Center.
Between January and June 2024, the number of foreign-born residents in the country fell by nearly 1.5 million, Pew reported.
The immigrant population, which stood at a historic high of 53.3 million in January 2024, had declined to 51.9 million by June of the same year.
The report, released on Friday, described the trend as unprecedented since the 1960s, noting that departures and deportations are now outpacing new arrivals.
While the findings highlight the scale of the shift, Pew did not break down how many of those affected were undocumented immigrants.
The figures come against the backdrop of a heated national debate over immigration and border security.
President Donald Trump’s administration have welcomed the decline as proof of a tougher stance on illegal immigration.
Even before Pew’s findings were released, Trump had celebrated the trend on his Truth Social platform, posting an image attributed to the White House with the caption: “Promises Made. Promises Kept. Negative net immigration for the first time in 50 years.”
Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary praised the administration’s enforcement efforts, linking the drop in immigrant numbers to stepped-up deportations and stricter border control measures.
“Seven months into his second term, it’s clear that the president has done what he said he’d do by re-establishing law and order at our southern border and by removing violent illegal immigrants from our nation,” Noem said in a statement, adding that the policy shift was “essential for national peace and prosperity.”
However, the report also pointed to policies enacted under former President Joe Biden that shaped immigration patterns leading up to the decline.
In June 2024, Biden issued a proclamation restricting asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border during periods of high migrant crossings.
Trump intensified these measures upon returning to the White House in January 2025, signing an executive order on his first day back in office that declared an “invasion” at the southern border.
The order barred individuals who crossed outside designated ports of entry from seeking asylum or other protections, effectively tightening the asylum system further.
The Pew report underscores how successive administrations have reshaped immigration rules, culminating in the current decline.
