President Donald Trump has directed officials to begin work on a new population census that would leave out undocumented immigrants, reinforcing his administration’s long-standing stance on immigration as the White House intensifies its efforts to secure Republican advantages in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
In a post on social media, Trump emphasized his desire for what he termed a “new and highly accurate” census, one he claimed should reflect “modern day facts and figures” derived from the 2024 election. “People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS,” Trump wrote, staking out a position that challenges over two centuries of constitutional precedent.
Since 1790, the U.S. Constitution has mandated a decennial census that counts the “whole number of persons in each state,” a requirement that has always included individuals residing in the country without legal authorization. The next official population count is not scheduled until 2030, though the enormous logistical preparations are already underway. Trump’s statement did not clarify whether he was referring to a supplementary survey or an attempt to modify the main census timeline.
The stakes are high. Census data is critical for determining the number of congressional representatives allocated to each state. Research by the Pew Center indicates that omitting undocumented residents from the 2020 census would have cost populous states like California, Texas, and Florida one congressional seat apiece. Beyond congressional apportionment, the census influences the distribution of Electoral College votes that determine presidential election outcomes, as well as the allocation of trillions of dollars in federal funding.
During his first term, Trump made similar attempts to reshape census procedures, most notably seeking to add a citizenship question. That effort was halted by the Supreme Court, which refrained from ruling on whether undocumented individuals should be excluded from the count.
This new push for a revised census unfolds amid growing electoral tensions at the state level. In Texas, Republican lawmakers have proposed a redistricting plan that could yield up to five additional House seats for the GOP. In response, more than 50 Democratic state legislators have left Texas for other Democratic-led states in an attempt to derail the proposed redrawing of district lines by depriving the legislature of the quorum needed to pass the plan.
The reaction from Republicans has been forceful. Texas GOP leaders have threatened to arrest the absent lawmakers, and Senator John Cornyn has confirmed he successfully asked the FBI to assist local authorities in tracking them down. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance traveled to Indiana on Thursday to meet with Governor Mike Braun and encourage Republicans there to explore the possibility of creating at least one more Republican seat through redistricting.
Politico has reported that Republican-led efforts across several states could result in up to 10 new GOP-held House seats before the 2026 midterms. Targeted states include Ohio, Florida, Missouri, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. These efforts are being driven by the need to safeguard the GOP’s slender majority in the House, which could shift with just a handful of Democratic gains.
However, the aggressive redistricting strategy has sparked dissent within Republican ranks. Representative Kevin Kiley of California, whose district could be eliminated in a possible Democratic counter-redistricting, has introduced legislation to prohibit any redrawing of congressional boundaries outside the regular decennial cycle. He warned that partisan redistricting efforts risk diminishing the presence of conservatives in heavily Democratic states.
In Indiana, Governor Braun has characterized any redistricting talk as “exploratory,” arguing that the state’s current district maps, drawn in 2021, are fair and based on township boundaries rather than manipulated shapes. “We tried to adhere to township lines and the configurations don’t look like an octopus,” Braun reportedly told local media.
Democrats, meanwhile, have vowed to retaliate in kind. New York and California — the two most populous Democratic states — could see redistricting moves aimed at neutralizing Republican advances. On Wednesday morning, Texas Democrats were evacuated from their Chicago-area hotel due to a vague threat. According to state representative John Bucy, the lawmakers remained undeterred after spending two hours outside the building. Their objective, he said, remains rooted in safeguarding voting rights.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has authorized state police to provide protection for the Texas legislators as tensions over the redistricting saga continue to escalate.
What you should know
President Donald Trump’s call for a new census excluding undocumented immigrants signals a renewed push for conservative redistricting strategies.
The move, which echoes past efforts blocked by the Supreme Court, could impact congressional representation, electoral college votes, and federal funding allocation.
The announcement comes amid fierce redistricting battles in states like Texas, where Republicans aim to expand their majority, prompting Democratic resistance and heightening national political stakes.
