US Census Bureau to Revise Immigrant Population Counting Methodology

The US Census Bureau announced on Monday that it will revise its methodology for estimating the population of immigrants in its annual reports.

This update aims to more accurately reflect the growing number of individuals admitted to the country for humanitarian reasons, often on a temporary basis. The revised population estimates, expected to be released on Thursday, will incorporate these adjustments at the national level. This decision comes as the percentage of foreign-born residents in the United States reached its highest level in over a century during 2023.

While Census Bureau officials have not provided specific projections, the changes to the methodology are predicted to further increase these figures. Accurately counting new immigrants has historically posed challenges for the Census Bureau, as evidenced by discrepancies between its estimates and those from other federal agencies.

For instance, the Census Bureau estimated that 1.1 million immigrants entered the US in 2023, whereas the Congressional Budget Office reported a significantly higher figure of 3.3 million. The upcoming methodological changes will include individuals admitted under humanitarian parole, a policy that has been implemented for seven decades across both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Humanitarian parole allows entry for individuals who are unable to access standard immigration routes due to urgent circumstances or strained relations with their home countries. According to the Migration Policy Institute, over 5.8 million people were admitted through various humanitarian policies between 2021 and 2024.

These developments occur in tandem with President-elect Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the White House, during which he has vowed to enforce mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. However, Census Bureau officials stress that the methodological update is not linked to the current political climate.

Eric Jensen, a senior research scientist at the Census Bureau, expresses optimism about the new approach, stating it will yield more accurate and reflective estimates of recent immigration trends. The Census Bureau's annual population estimates, which consider births, deaths, and both domestic and international migration, are essential for determining federal funding allocations, which total trillions of dollars.