Trump Surpasses Obama in Deportations, and 1.5 Million Migrants Leave the US in 6 Months

Two phenomena: The immigrant population in the United States fell for the first time in decades. And, of course, deportations reached a new record due to increased arrests. In other words, Donald Trump has managed to fulfill one of his campaign promises, according to statistics released today by the Pew Research Center.

Miriam Jordán writes in The New York Times that for the first time in decades, more immigrants left the United States than arrived. This is an early sign that President Trump’s hardline immigration agenda “is driving people to leave, whether through deportation or by choice.”

“An analysis of new census data released Thursday by the independent Pew Research Center found that between January and June, the foreign-born population in the United States—both legal and undocumented residents—declined by nearly 1.5 million. In June, the country was home to 51.9 million immigrants, down from 53.3 million six months earlier,” reads the Times analysis.

Trump administration officials have applauded the net outflow of immigrants, Jordan adds, because the pressure on public services has eased and labor markets have recovered. But some supporters of immigration crackdowns say it hasn’t been enough, the journalist adds.

Experts predict negative economic and demographic consequences for the United States if the trend continues, according to Jordan. “Immigrants constitute a crucial workforce in many sectors, and the country’s dependence on them increases as more baby boomers retire.”