"According to preliminary Census Bureau data analyzed by the Pew Research Center, more than 1.2 million immigrants left the labor force from January to June 2025. Per the report, 51.9 million immigrants lived in the U.S. as of June, down from a record high of 53.3 million (15.8% of the population) in January. The president ran his 2024 campaign on the promise to deport illegal immigrants. Since January, aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have swept the nation."
"Stephanie Kramer, senior Pew researcher, said immigrants make up around 20% of the workforce in the U.S. "It's unclear how much of the decline we've seen since January is due to voluntary departures to pursue other opportunities or avoid deportation, removals, underreporting, or other technical issues," Kramer said, per AP News. "However, we don't believe that the preliminary numbers indicating net-negative migration are so far off that the decline isn't real.""
Preliminary Census Bureau data show more than 1.2 million immigrants left the labor force from January to June 2025. The immigrant population declined to 51.9 million in June from 53.3 million in January, representing 15.8% of the U.S. population. Immigration enforcement intensified with nationwide ICE raids and 61,226 people held in detention centers. Deportations have reached at least 200,000 so far, and roughly 70% of those detained have no convictions. Fear of raids has reduced immigrant mobility and produced staffing shortfalls in restaurants, construction, and farming. ICE briefly paused arrests at farms, restaurants, and hotels.
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