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The immigration policy of President Donald Trump caused a significant slowdown in population growth in the United States during 2025, when the national population reached nearly 342 million people, according to data published by the Census Bureau.
According to the AP agency, the report indicates that the country's growth rate fell to 0.5% in 2025, down from the 1% recorded in 2024, the largest increase in two decades driven by immigration at that time.
Last year, the total number of immigrants increased by about 1.3 million, well below the 2.8 million recorded the previous year.
The new data reflects the impact of Trump's second term, as he returned to the White House in January 2025 and made immigration control one of the key focuses of his campaign and administration.
The trend marks a significant break from the previous period and confirms that the restrictions at the southern border are beginning to impact the national demographics.
In 2025, births exceeded deaths by about 519,000 people, a figure much lower than the levels at the beginning of the century, when the natural increase ranged between 1.6 and 1.9 million annually.
According to the Census, if the current pace continues, the net migration balance in 2026 could drop to as low as 321,000 people, the lowest level in decades.
The census does not distinguish between legal and illegal immigration, but experts point out that the deportation and border control policies implemented by the Trump administration, along with the suspension of several humanitarian entry pathways, account for a significant portion of the reduction.
At the state level, the impact was uneven. California recorded a net loss of 9,500 residents in 2025, after gaining 232,000 the previous year.
The decline was primarily due to a drastic reduction in the number of immigrants moving to the state: from 361,000 in 2024 to 109,000 in 2025.
In Florida, where the population reached 23.46 million inhabitants, the year-on-year growth was 0.85%.
However, international immigration fell by 56.6%, dropping from over 411,000 people in 2024 to 178,674 in 2025, according to census estimates.
In addition, internal movements also decreased: only 22,000 people arrived from other states, compared to 64,000 the previous year.
New York added just 1,008 residents in 2025, also due to the decline in migration flow.
In contrast, South Carolina, Idaho, and North Carolina recorded the highest increases, ranging from 1.3% to 1.5%, while Texas, Florida, and North Carolina added the largest total number of people.
The Southern region, which has established itself as the demographic engine of the country, also experienced a decline: from 1.7 million new residents in 2024, it dropped to 1.1 million in 2025.
The demographer William Frey from the Brookings Institute, cited by AP, explained that the numbers "reflect a clear trend of exit: fewer people are arriving and more are leaving," and warned that many states could see even lower growth in the coming years if restrictive immigration policies continue.
El reporte del censo fue retrasado por el cierre del gobierno federal en 2025 y llega en un contexto difícil para las agencias estadísticas estadounidenses.
La Oficina del Censo perdió alrededor del 15% de su personal tras un programa de recortes impulsado por la Casa Blanca y el Departamento de Eficiencia Gubernamental.
Despite the tensions, Frey assured that the data can be considered reliable: “The census staff continues to do their work as always, without political interference. I have no reason to doubt the figures.”
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