Source: Ned Barnett, NEWS & OBSERVER 4/12/19

Anyone who lives in or has traveled through rural North Carolina would have to be puzzled by President Trump’s claim that the U.S. can accept no more immigrants because “our country is full.” Far from full, rural North Carolina — like much of rural, small town and Rust Belt America — is more like a motel on a bypassed highway with a “vacancy” sign glowing in the night. North Carolina is growing, yes, but the growth is largely confined to its urban areas and their suburbs. Of the state’s 100 counties, 34 have fewer residents today than they did in 2010, according to UNC's Carolina Population Center.

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