Archive · 2 Feb 2026
Trump Policies May Cut Legal Immigration by 50%
The Trump administration's policies are expected to reduce the number of legal immigrants coming to the United States by about 33% to 50%.
This means around 1.5 million to 2.4 million fewer people will get green cards during Trump's four-year term.
The main reasons for this reduction include stricter rules for refugees, limits on family members of U.S. citizens, and a ban on immigrants from 39 specific countries.
These changes will affect U.S. citizens who want to bring their relatives to the country, employers who want to hire these immigrants, and universities that want to enroll them as students.
Additionally, the freeze on visas from 75 countries might lead to more green cards being available for employment-based immigration in the future.
Trump administration policies may reduce legal immigration by 33% to 50%, or 1.5 million to 2.4 million people, by the end of his term.
The FY 2023 level of legal immigration was 1,172,910, but this is estimated to decrease significantly due to new policies.
Policies include lower refugee admission levels, restrictions on Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens, a 39-country immigration ban, and actions against Diversity Visa recipients.
The 39-country ban is expected to reduce immigration by up to 76,000 people per year.
The freeze on visas from 75 countries could lead to more green cards being available for employment-based immigration in the future.
- Who
- The Trump administration
- What
- Reduction in legal immigration to the United States
- When
- By the end of Donald Trump’s four-year term
- Where
- United States
- Why
- Due to policies including lower refugee admission levels, restrictions on Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens, a 39-country immigration ban, and actions against Diversity Visa recipients
- Estimated Reduction in Legal Immigration
- 33% to 50%
- Estimated Reduction in Numbers
- 1.5 million to 2.4 million
- FY 2023 Legal Immigration Level
- 1,172,910
- Estimated Reduction in Immediate Relatives
- 941,625 to 1,654,770
- Impact of 39-Country Ban
- Up to 76,000 fewer immigrants per year
- Countries Affected by Visa Freeze
- 75 countries
- Countries Affected by 39-Country Ban
- 39 countries
