U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called for a “new and highly accurate” census that would exclude undocumented immigrants, escalating political tensions over congressional redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In a social media post, Trump argued that people “in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED,” suggesting the new figures should be based on “modern day facts and figures” drawn from the 2024 election.
The U.S. Constitution, since 1790, has mandated a decennial census counting the “whole number of persons” in each state, regardless of immigration status. The next scheduled census is in 2030, though preparations are already underway. It remains unclear whether Trump is proposing an early, special survey or a revision of the regular count.
The census plays a crucial role in determining congressional representation, Electoral College votes, and the distribution of trillions in federal funding. According to Pew Research Center, excluding undocumented migrants from the 2020 census would have cost California, Florida, and Texas one House seat each. Trump’s earlier attempt to add a citizenship question to the census during his presidency was blocked by the Supreme Court.
His renewed call comes amid heated redistricting fights, particularly in Texas, where Republicans are pushing for a new electoral map that could yield up to five additional GOP-held House seats in 2026. More than 50 Texas Democratic lawmakers have fled to Democratic-led states to prevent a quorum, prompting Republican leaders to threaten arrests. U.S. Senator John Cornyn said he has enlisted the FBI to help locate the lawmakers.
Republicans are targeting several states—including Ohio, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida—for potential map redraws, with Politico reporting up to 10 additional GOP-leaning seats could be created nationwide. Vice President JD Vance is visiting Indiana to discuss the matter with Governor Mike Braun, though Braun has described the talks as merely “exploratory.”
Democrats, in turn, are eyeing retaliatory redistricting in strongholds like New York and California. In Illinois, Democratic Governor JB Pritzker has deployed state police to protect the Texas lawmakers after they were evacuated from their suburban Chicago hotel following an unspecified threat.
The escalating battle underscores how redistricting—and control of the next Congress—has become a high-stakes, partisan showdown well before voters head to the polls.
