President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are expected to lead to the removal of about 320,000 people from the United States over the next decade, according to a report released Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO also projects that these measures will slow overall U.S. population growth.
The mass deportation plans are part of a tax and spending law passed by Congress and signed in July, which allocates approximately $150 billion over four years for enforcement efforts. This funding covers an extension of the southern border wall, expansion of detention centers, and hiring thousands of additional law enforcement personnel. The CBO estimates that 290,000 immigrants could be removed through these actions, with another 30,000 expected to leave voluntarily.
The report notes that combined with a declining fertility rate in the country, reduced immigration means that U.S. population growth will fall short of previous expectations. The CBO now projects that by 2035, there will be 4.5 million fewer people in the United States than it had estimated earlier this year. It adds that its long-term projections remain “highly uncertain,” but anticipates a total population of 367 million by 2055.
The reduction in immigration is likely to affect the number of people aged 25 to 54 — those most likely to participate in the workforce — compared with prior forecasts. The report states: “the projected population would have ‘fewer people ages 25 to 54 — the age group that is most likely to participate in the labor force — than the agency previously projected.’”
Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about possible negative economic effects from mass deportations and warn they could result in higher prices for groceries and other goods.
President Trump has expressed support for increasing birth rates domestically, saying he wants a “baby boom” in America and suggesting policies aimed at encouraging families to have more children. However, according to the CBO’s findings: “the CBO found no indication that would happen.”
