US, for 1st time in 50 years, experienced negative net migration in 2025: Report
Source: ABC News
January 13, 2026, 6:30 PM
The U.S. experienced negative net migration in 2025 for the first time in at least half a century as a result of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, according to a report released Tuesday by the Brookings Institution.
Although the administration has undertaken aggressive removal efforts, the negative number is mostly due to a significant drop in entries into the U.S., the report said.
"We estimate net flows of -295,000 to -10,000 for the year," the Brookings study stated. "Though a high degree of policy uncertainty remains, continued negative net migration for 2026 is also likely." The report attributed the shift to combination of the large drop in entries and an increase in enforcement activity leading to removals and voluntary departures.
The Trump administration's suspension of many humanitarian programs -- including most refugee programs with the exception of those involving white South Africans -- and a decline in temporary visas also contributed to the negative net migration, the report said.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/us-1st-time-50-years-experienced-negative-net/story?id=129175522
Link to Brookings Institution REPORT - Macroeconomic implications of immigration flows in 2025 and 2026: January 2026 update
"Ethnic cleansing".
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