USA Trump wants to exclude certain migrants from the census
US President Donald Trump wants to exclude migrants without regular residence status from the census in future - and is thus reaching for another lever in the political distribution of power in the USA. Regions with a high proportion of such migrants could lose political influence and a lot of money under Trump's new census method. Democratically governed cities such as Los Angeles and New York would probably be particularly affected.
07.08.2025, 18:01
SDA
The Republican wrote on his Truth Social platform that he had instructed the Department of Commerce to "immediately begin work on a new and extremely accurate ZENSUS", which should also be based on findings from the 2024 presidential election. People who were in the USA "illegally" should not be counted.
Proposal raises legal questions
Trump did not provide any details on the legal framework, the specific implementation or a possible date for such a survey. Whether a president can single-handedly change the rules for the census is legally controversial.
Trump had already tried to change the counting method in his first term of office, but failed due to legal hurdles. His latest attempt comes at a time when the Republicans are trying to push through new constituency boundaries before the 2026 congressional elections.
Census with far-reaching consequences
In the USA, a nationwide census is conducted every ten years - including surveys by post, online and by employees going door-to-door. The next census will not actually take place until 2030.
The results have far-reaching consequences: They form the basis for the distribution of federal funds to states, cities and municipalities. They also serve as the basis for the proportional distribution of seats in the House of Representatives and the drawing of electoral district boundaries in the congressional elections.
Under current law, it is irrelevant for the census whether the persons surveyed are US citizens or what their residence status is. The US Constitution stipulates that the distribution of seats in the House of Representatives must be based on the total number of people living in each state. The aim is also to align the distribution of state funds with actual local needs.
