President Donald Trump announced Thursday morning on Truth Social that he has directed the Commerce Department to begin work on a new census, stating that illegal aliens will not be included in the population count.
“I have instructed our Department of Commerce to immediately begin work on a new and highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024,” Trump wrote.
“People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
The United States conducts a national census every 10 years — the most recent was in 2020, with the next scheduled for 2030.
The decennial census plays a pivotal role in determining political representation. Population counts dictate how many seats each state holds in the House of Representatives, a process known as apportionment. These numbers also influence the Electoral College, since each state’s electoral votes equal its combined total of House and Senate seats.
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states: “Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed.”
The U.S. Census Bureau, part of the Department of Commerce, clarifies that “unauthorized immigrants” are currently counted in the resident population. Its official FAQ notes that “all people (citizens and noncitizens) with a usual residence in the United States are included in the resident population for the census.”
During his first term, Trump issued a 2020 memorandum asserting that the exclusion of illegal aliens from the apportionment base was necessary to uphold the law and preserve the integrity of the democratic process. In 2021, President Joe Biden revoked that directive through an executive order. This year, Trump rescinded Biden’s order, reinstating his original stance.
