Illegal Immigrant Population Down 1 Million Since Trump Took Office, Research Group Says

A new survey-based estimate shows a steep falloff in a key group used as a proxy for the illegal immigrant population in the United States.

Customs and Border Protection agents guide illegal immigrants onto a C-17 Globemaster III for a removal flight at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 23, 2025. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Peña/Dept. of Defense

Roughly 1 million illegal immigrants have left the United States since January, the month President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new study by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS).

The findings come as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to ramp up deportations, targeting large cities with so-called “sanctuary” policies and resuming operations at farms, hotels, and other businesses.