President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Commerce Department to begin preparations for a new national census that would exclude illegal aliens from the population count.
The move, announced Thursday without prior notice, marks a significant shift in the redistricting process that could impact congressional representation and the Electoral College.
For the first time, the U.S. Census Bureau would be instructed not to count illegal immigrants residing in the United States.
This change is expected to have major consequences for states with large populations of illegal aliens, particularly those that have used those numbers to boost congressional representation and electoral influence.
Trump made the announcement through a post on Truth Social.
“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,” President 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 directive comes as Republican-led states such as Texas seek to redraw their congressional maps to favor GOP gains.
According to NBC News, congressional districts are apportioned based on a population count of approximately 765,000 residents per district each decade.
Including illegal immigrants in that calculation has long been standard practice under the interpretation that the U.S. Constitution calls for a count of every “resident” of the country.
During his first term, President Trump attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census but was blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court.
This latest effort could potentially result in a second census being conducted in the current decade, the first time such an action would be taken since the last census was completed in 2021.
The implications for redistricting are immediate. Texas, which is currently undergoing a new congressional redistricting effort, is expected to add between five and 10 new districts that could favor Republican candidates.
The state legislature has already aligned itself with the Trump administration’s position, signaling a broader shift among GOP-led states to follow suit.
Texas Democrats, in an effort to block the redistricting plan, have left the state in an attempt to deny the legislature a quorum.
In response, Republican lawmakers passed legislation allowing law enforcement to locate those members in other states — including blue cities like Chicago and Boston — and bring them back to Texas to force a vote.
At the same time, some Democrats in states like California are also moving to influence redistricting efforts by attempting to override independent redistricting commissions previously established by law.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been among those pushing for greater Democratic control over the process.
The redistricting debate has also prompted concern among some Republicans in blue states. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) have voiced concern that without federal action, GOP members in Democrat-controlled states could be pushed out through partisan redrawing of district lines.
Kiley introduced legislation on Monday aimed at preventing all 50 states from redrawing their congressional maps until after the 2030 Census.
Lawler warned that mid-decade redistricting could threaten Republican seats in blue states.
“Mid-cycle redistricting creates a situation where you’re going to lose blue state members, which over the long haul are critical to keeping the majority,” Lawler told Politico.
With President Trump’s new directive in place, the debate over redistricting, congressional power, and the role of illegal immigrants in federal population counts is expected to intensify heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
