President Trump has directed the Commerce Department to create a mid-decade census that intentionally omits individuals residing in the U.S. without legal authorization. Announcing the plan via social media, he described the initiative as a “new and highly accurate” count grounded in “modern day facts and figures” and tied to data from the 2024 election.
Under this directive, undocumented immigrants “WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS,” a move poised to reshape congressional representation and federal funding allocations — especially in states with large immigrant populations. The change bypasses longstanding constitutional guidance that mandates counting “the whole number of persons” in each state.
While the next official census isn’t scheduled until 2030, this sudden mid-decade effort underscores a push to influence redistricting before the 2026 midterms. However, Trump’s previous attempt—adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census—was halted by the Supreme Court as legally flawed.
Legal experts and civil rights groups, including the ACLU, warn this measure will face fierce court challenges, arguing the Constitution vests census authority with Congress, not the president.