The foreign-born population living in the United States fell by an estimated 2.2 million between January and July, with 1.6 million of the decline coming from immigrants without legal status, according to an analysis released by the Center for Immigration Studies. Drawing on the Census Bureau’s monthly Current Population Survey, the think tank now puts the unauthorized population at about 14.2 million, down from 15.8 million at the start of the year. CIS research director Steven A. Camarota said the drop—roughly 270,000 people a month—marks the steepest six-month contraction on record and more than offsets the pace of growth seen during the previous administration. The organisation attributes the change largely to stricter enforcement measures introduced by President Donald Trump, a view echoed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who told reporters that "the world got the message" and that many migrants are "leaving on their own." While CIS argues the reversal could ease pressure on public services and labour markets, the study notes that some of the fall also reflects migrants gaining legal status, deaths and survey non-response. The Census Bureau has not commented on the findings, and the data have not yet been independently audited by other research groups.