Trump Administration Moves to Exclude Illegal Immigrants From Census, Threatening Democratic Strongholds

The Trump administration has unveiled plans to change how the U.S. census counts the population by excluding illegal immigrants from the totals that determine congressional representation and federal funding. 

This move directly challenges policies implemented during the Biden administration and could shift political power away from heavily populated Democratic states.

Previously, the administration sought a similar change in the 2020 census, but the Supreme Court declined to intervene, ruling the issue premature at the time. 

Now, with renewed focus and momentum, the current administration is positioned to pursue this policy with greater determination.

Instead of attempting to bring back the citizenship question, which faced widespread legal opposition in 2020, the administration intends to use federal administrative records to identify individuals living in the country without legal status. 

These individuals would then be excluded from the official census count used for apportioning seats in the House and distributing federal resources.

Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, summarized the intent of the initiative, stating, “We’re going to clean up the census and make sure that illegal aliens are not counted.” 

Proponents argue that current census methods unfairly inflate population counts in states with large immigrant communities—primarily Democratic strongholds like New York and California—thereby granting them more political power and funding than they should rightfully receive.

Research analyzing the 2010 census shows that applying this policy retroactively would have led California to lose three congressional seats. 

At the same time, states such as Louisiana, Missouri and North Carolina, which have fewer illegal immigrants, would have gained seats, significantly altering the political map, according to Trending Politics.

In a related legal battle, four Republican-led states—Louisiana, Kansas, Ohio and West Virginia—have challenged the Biden-era Commerce Department’s decision to include illegal immigrants in census counts. 

That lawsuit remains paused as the Trump administration finalizes its legal strategy.

To codify these changes, House Republicans have reintroduced the Equal Representation Act, a bill that passed the House in May 2024 but stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate. 

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) is leading the renewed push, emphasizing the need to base congressional representation solely on citizens.

“Americans deserve fair and equal representation, something that will not be possible until we eliminate the influence of noncitizens in our elections,” Edwards told RealClearInvestigations.

The legislation will first go through the House Oversight Committee, which is chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-KY). 

He has voiced strong support for the measure, stating, “American citizens’ representation in Congress should not be determined by individuals who are not citizens of the United States.”

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Comer indicated the committee intends to prioritize the bill during the current session.

If the effort succeeds, it could lead to a significant political realignment by reducing the congressional representation of heavily Democratic urban areas while boosting the influence of more rural, conservative states. 

Such a shift would affect both the balance of power in the House and the Electoral College, according to TP.

Democratic leaders warn this change threatens a longstanding but subtle advantage that has quietly supported their electoral strength in recent decades, potentially upending traditional political dynamics.

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