Donald Trump promised he would change America for good. No one could have seen it going like this.
Because President Trump was just blown away by a new immigration report that’s hit his desk.
Trump Administration Drives Major Shifts in U.S. Immigration and Trade Policies
CNN data expert Harry Enten, appearing on CNN Newsroom Saturday, revealed that the U.S. is poised for a historic shift, with net migration expected to turn negative in 2025, a phenomenon not seen in at least five decades.
During his campaign, President Donald Trump emphasized key voter concerns such as immigration, economic stability, and inflation. Enten highlighted that the administration’s actions align with these promises, particularly in slashing immigration levels significantly.
“It is not the only way that Trump is remaking America,” Enten stated. “The other big thing that Trump ran on, right, was immigration. How about net migration in the United States? Get this. It’s down. It’s going to be down at least 60%. We may be dealing with, get this, negative net migration to the United States in 2025. That would be the first time there is negative net migration in this country in at least 50 years.”
Enten noted a sharp decline from 2.8 million net migrants in 2024, adding, “So Donald Trump has always run on tariffs and he’s running a hawkish line on immigration. And on both of those issues, we are seeing record high tariff rates for this century going all the way back, well back into the early part of the 20th century. When it comes to immigration, net migration, we are seeing record low levels, way down from where we were during the Biden administration.”
The previous administration under Biden-Harris saw a surge in illegal border crossings, straining cities like New York and Denver, which struggled to manage the influx. Local leaders reported resource shortages and sought federal assistance.
High-profile issues during that period included rampant drug trafficking, tragic deaths of several Americans, and reports of numerous unaccompanied migrant children going missing, fueling public concern.
Since taking office in January, Trump has issued executive actions targeting border security and drug cartels, leading to a drastic reduction in illegal crossings. Customs and Border Protection reported just 25,228 encounters in June, the lowest in recent history.
Enten also addressed Trump’s trade policies, countering claims that the president has wavered on tariffs. “No, I don’t think that’s true, Omar. I think the theme of this segment is going to be love it, like it, lump it, Trump’s remaking the United States of America. We can start there with tariffs,” he said. “What are we talking about? No tacos for Trump. The effective tariff rate, get this, 18%. It is the highest, the highest since the 1930s up from, get this, just 2% last year.”
The data analyst emphasized the scale of Trump’s tariff hikes, noting, “It starts here with tariffs. He said he was going to raise tariffs. Despite the claims, otherwise, he is, in fact, doing that. The effective tariff rate at this point looks to be nine times as high as it was last year, the highest since the 1930s in FDR, Omar.”
Enten further pointed out that Trump’s 180 executive orders in 2025 dwarf the 77 signed by Biden in his first year, drawing parallels to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s transformative presidency. “Donald Trump is remaking the United States,” Enten concluded. “Love it, like it or lump it. He has been tremendously influential to a historic degree, Omar.”
Why Americans Are Embracing Negative Net Immigration
For the first time in decades, the U.S. is projected to experience negative net immigration in 2025, a shift that recent surveys suggest many Americans support. A Gallup poll from July 2025 found that 55% of Americans favor reducing immigration levels, citing concerns over economic competition, public safety, and strained infrastructure. This marks a significant departure from previous decades, when immigration was often viewed as a net positive for economic growth and cultural diversity.
The Biden-Harris administration’s border policies led to unprecedented illegal crossings, with Customs and Border Protection reporting over 2.5 million encounters in 2023 alone. Cities like Chicago and Boston faced budget crises as they scrambled to accommodate migrants, while rural communities reported increased crime linked to drug trafficking.
These challenges amplified public frustration, as evidenced by a Pew Research Center survey from June 2025, where 62% of respondents said illegal immigration negatively impacted their communities.
