Trump Orders New Census, Excludes Undocumented Immigrants as Redistricting Battle Escalates

President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the Commerce Department to begin work on a new U.S. census that excludes undocumented immigrants. The decision marks a significant shift in how the country might count its population ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump said he had directed officials to launch a “highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts” and results from the 2024 presidential election.

“People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS,” Trump wrote.

A Constitutional Challenge to Longstanding Practice

The move contradicts the U.S. Census Bureau’s historic approach. For over 235 years, the Bureau has counted all residents, including the foreign-born, regardless of immigration status. These population numbers help determine how the 435 House seats are divided among the 50 states every decade.

Trump’s directive revives efforts from his first term, when he attempted to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. The Supreme Court blocked that attempt in 2019, ruling the administration’s justification violated federal law.

Texas Redistricting Dispute Reaches Boiling Point

Trump’s announcement comes as a redistricting standoff unfolds in Texas, where Republicans are pushing a new congressional map that could add three to five U.S. House seats to the GOP column in 2026.

In protest, Texas Democrats fled the state to prevent a vote, denying Republicans the quorum needed to pass the map. In response, Governor Greg Abbott ordered the state’s Department of Public Safety to track down and arrest the lawmakers. He also asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove a top House Democrat from office.

Blue States Consider Countermeasures

The Texas dispute has prompted leaders in blue states to consider their own aggressive responses. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to explore gerrymandering tactics—despite their states’ use of independent redistricting commissions.

More Republican governors are now eyeing their own opportunities to redraw maps, motivated by the GOP’s slim margin in the House. Democrats need to gain just three seats in 2026 to reclaim control.

Vance Joins GOP Redistricting Talks

Vice President JD Vance visited Indiana on Thursday to meet with Republican leaders, discussing redistricting strategies and upcoming electoral priorities.

The redistricting fight could reshape the balance of power in Congress and is set to become one of the most pivotal political issues leading into the 2026 elections.

SOURCE: Reuters