Immigration Slowdown Hits Every Metro Area in the U.S., Census Shows

New Census data shows immigration to the United States has slowed across every major metropolitan area, with large urban counties and border regions experiencing the steepest declines. The slowdown in immigration arrivals has contributed to a broader population trend: three-quarters of U.S. counties are now experiencing either slower population growth or actual population loss. This marks a significant shift from the rapid immigration and urban population growth of the previous decade, reflecting both changing migration patterns and stricter enforcement policies. Large cities that have historically been magnets for immigrants—including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago—have been hit particularly hard, potentially affecting labor markets, tax bases, and housing demand in these regions. The data suggests immigration levels are now a primary driver of which parts of the country are growing or shrinking.