U.S. Population Growth Slows to 0.5% in 2025 Amid Immigration Crackdown

Trump's immigration policies contributed to a sharp drop in the nation's growth rate, impacting states like California and Florida.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:39pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The U.S. population reached nearly 342 million people in 2025, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. However, the growth rate slowed to just 0.5%, a significant drop from the previous year's almost 1% growth rate. The decline was largely attributed to President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration, which reduced the number of immigrants entering the country.

Why it matters

The slowdown in population growth has implications for the distribution of congressional seats and government funding, as well as the economic and demographic makeup of states that have traditionally been immigrant magnets, such as California, Florida, and New York.

The details

Immigration increased by almost 1.3 million people in 2025, compared to 2.8 million in 2024. If trends continue, the gain from immigrants in mid-2026 will drop to only 321,000 people. The immigration drop dented growth in several states, with California, Florida, and New York all seeing significant declines in net migration.

  • The 2025 population estimates cover the end of President Joe Biden's administration and the first half of Trump's first year back in office.
  • The figures capture the beginning of enforcement surges in Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, but do not include the impact of crackdowns in Chicago, New Orleans, Memphis, and Minneapolis.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who returned to the White House in 2025 and made a surge of migrants at the southern border a central issue in his winning campaign.

William Frey

A demographer at the Brookings Institution who commented on the population estimates.

Eric Jensen

A senior research scientist at the U.S. Census Bureau who discussed the methodology behind the population estimates.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Many of these states are going to show even smaller growth when we get to next year.”

— William Frey, Demographer

“They do reflect recent trends we have seen in out-migration, where the numbers of people coming in is down and the numbers going out is up.”

— Eric Jensen, Senior Research Scientist, U.S. Census Bureau

What’s next

The Census Bureau will continue to monitor population trends and release updated estimates in the coming years, which will likely show the ongoing impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies.

The takeaway

The slowdown in U.S. population growth due to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown could have significant political and economic consequences, particularly for states that have traditionally relied on immigrant populations to fuel their growth.