Immigration tripled in the nation's most-populated counties last year despite overall population declines in several major urban areas.

Some of the nation's top counties were among those with the largest declines in population in a concerning shift in American society.

https://twitter.com/C26N4/status/1641554646064922624

L.A. leads in population decline

"Los Angeles County had the largest population decline in 2022, decreasing by 90,704 overall, due mainly to a net loss of 142,953 people moving to other parts of the US," the Daily Mail reported.

"Maricopa County, Arizona, where Phoenix is located, remained the largest-gaining county in the nation, adding 56,831 residents in 2022, a gain of 1.3 percent, driven mainly by domestic migration," it added.

Blue flight: Los Angeles, Cook counties post biggest population losses in U.S. in 2022 https://t.co/2D7Z0fbDsJ via @JustTheNews

— Godsfearless1 (@CyndiJohnson19) March 31, 2023

Other top losers

"Cook County, home to Chicago, lost 68,314 people from July 2021 to July of last year," ranking second in population loss among counties.

"Los Angeles County was still the most populous county in the U.S. That was followed by Cook County in Illinois at 5,109,292, which declined by 68,314 from the prior year. Rounding out the top five were Harris County, Texas (4,780,913); Maricopa County, Arizona (4,551,524); and San Diego County, California (3,276,208)," Just the News added.

NEW: Growth in the nation’s largest counties rebounds in 2022 with migration and growth patterns edging closer to pre-pandemic levels.

All 10 of the top fastest-growing counties were in the South or West.

Explore more highlights: https://t.co/cFVjORJj19 pic.twitter.com/FbR8UfsySH

— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) March 30, 2023

The migration issue

The Census Bureau noted the vast changes in some parts of the country related to immigration.

"For instance, net international migration in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the top ranked county for net international migration in 2022, increased from 15,108 between 2020 and 2021, to over double that (39,170) the following year," it reported Thursday.

"Similarly, in second-ranked Harris County, Texas, net international migration more than doubled in size – 13,919 between 2020 and 2021, it grew to 37,268 between 2021 and 2022," it added.

Some have argued that the changes are representative of the liberal leadership in the cities experiencing the largest declines. For example, the two largest counties, representing the areas of Los Angeles and Chicago, are led by Democrat mayors in states led by Democrat governors.

In addition to political issues, many concerns continue related to crime in some of the counties experiencing the largest declines. Both Los Angeles and Chicago experienced strong increases in crimes over the past two years.

COVID-19 restrictions have also been a contributor. In 2022, the numbers for Los Angeles County dropped over 2021 as many restrictions were ended.

There is certainly some association, as pro-growth states such as Florida and Texas have been led by conservative governors who are seeking to allow more freedoms while opposing sanctuary cities.

The evidence is in, with pundits taking apart the data to discuss the reasons behind the major changes taking place in America's metro areas.