President Trump is calling for a recount — a recount of the American people. And he’s calling for something else: a rejection of the Left’s new math and a return to common sense. The president has ordered the Commerce Department to begin preparing a new mid-decade census that would count only those who are legally present in the United States.
Why does that matter?
The Constitution requires that Congress establish the manner by which a census is conducted every 10 years. The results of the census determine how the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned among the 50 states. Census data also drives the allocation of hundreds of billions in federal funds to state and local governments. So it’s no surprise to hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth from Democrats like California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is now threatening to dismantle California’s so-called independent redistricting commission and push through a Democrat-favoring election map.
President Trump’s proposal — to count only those legally residing in the country — would force sanctuary cities and states to forfeit the political and financial benefits they’ve gained through open-border policies. The estimated 10 to 11 million illegal immigrants who have entered the U.S. during President Biden’s term were not accidental. While illegal voting has occurred in isolated cases, the real impact is demographic: population growth in deep-blue states that translates into increased congressional representation and control over federal funding.
The 2020 Census, which preceded the current border crisis, already shifted the balance slightly: seven traditionally blue states each lost a congressional seat, giving Republicans a narrow advantage. But left unchanged, the next census could dramatically shift power back to blue states — thanks to the millions of undocumented immigrants now residing within their borders.
To be clear, there has never been a mid-decade census used for congressional apportionment. But there have been mid-decade counts for data collection and planning purposes. What President Trump proposes is not unconstitutional — it’s unprecedented. Congress should support this effort as a benchmark and standard for the 2030 Census, which could occur under a Democratic administration determined to inflate blue-state population numbers through illegal immigration, thereby regaining control of Congress and the federal purse.
Texas offers a case study. With 38 House seats and a red-leaning electorate, it has been a top destination for refugee resettlement under both the Obama and Biden administrations — second only to California. These refugees, lawfully admitted, were disproportionately settled in Houston, Dallas, and Austin — urban centers that have become Democratic strongholds.
The pattern is clear: Democrats have used both legal and illegal immigration to reshape the political landscape and redirect federal resources. Many of President Trump’s early executive orders can be reversed by his successor. But this initiative — teaching the nation to count fairly and accurately — could set a lasting precedent.
And that’s what makes this moment so critical.
Tony Perkins is the president of the Family Research Council and executive editor of The Washington Stand. He also served two terms as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, and served as Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Editor’s Note: Compassion vs Justice?
In 2024, Perkins highlighted that the Border crisis had “nothing to do with the dream of a better future for migrant children,” or any other argument used by the left to paint mass illegal immigration in a positive and compassionate light.
“Is true compassion found in the abandonment of justice and the rule of law?” Perkins asked. “No — compassion is rooted in justice. In Zechariah 7:9, God, through the prophet, instructs the people to ‘execute true justice’ and ‘show mercy and compassion.’ According to Scripture, justice and compassion are inseparable — justice is the foundation of true compassion.”
Perkins emphasized the motive behind the scenes.
“It is about creating an environment of political and cultural chaos — one that benefits those seeking political power and control,” he warned.
