migration

A report published by the U.S. Census Bureau in January on population estimates shows that Puerto Rico’s population shrank in 2025 compared with the previous year. It also marks the third consecutive year in which the loss of residents was driven primarily by deaths rather than net migration, a measure calculated by subtracting the number of people leaving from the number arriving.

Mass migration and accelerated aging have transformed how older Puerto Ricans are cared for. Today, thousands of families split that responsibility between Puerto Rico and its diaspora in the U.S., with cities like Chicago becoming emotional and logistical extensions of the island.

A child and his mother have been confined to their home in Puerto Rico for over a week, fearing a knock from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The fear of deportation places migrant women in a more vulnerable position despite their crucial role in sustaining some of the island's communities, social worker Elithet Silva Martínez says.

The high cost of hiring a lawyer, the English language, and an insensible prison system complicate the situation for families in Puerto Rico with relatives imprisoned in the United States.