If Trump emerges victorious, I could consider ending my stay in America permanently.
David A. Andelman
Once upon a time, we didn't need to make a decision about whether or not America would be our permanent home. But now, alongside countless other Americans, we're contemplating this idea.
The catalyst for this consideration can be traced back to one pivotal source - former President Donald Trump. In fact, it's how he has shattered our country and its long-cherished democracy.
As I started seeking out opinions on this subject, my wife, Pamela, and I uncovered a rising sentiment: we are not alone in this predicament.
"It's the first thing they say, 'get me out of here,'" said Adrian Leeds. Since 1997, through her Adrian Leeds Group real estate agency, she's been advising mainly American clients who are thinking about relocating to France. "But now, there's a real surge of younger people who are saying, 'we don't want to raise our kids in this country. We want to provide the best for them. And we're very unhappy,'" she revealed to me.
This surge doesn't seem to be slowing down either. "We're up 100%, we doubled our business year to date, from January to March, compared to last year. It's going so fast the numbers are crazy. I hear it every day: 'Get me out!'" Leeds shared.
It's not just France where these discussions are taking place. "Since 2020, Americans went from being 5% of our clients to becoming 70% today," explained Patricia Casaburi, CEO of London-based Global Citizen Solutions, a high-end immigration consultancy firm. She participated in a Zoom interview from Dubai, and emphasized, "the number of Americans has only been increasing."
Certainly, there are factors motivating Americans to relocate beyond the prospects of a potential second Trump presidency. "When there are mass shootings in schools, they prompt people to act on something they've been considering for a while," Casaburi noted. But she also mentioned, "the political agenda does influence people."
Tony Kahn, a seasoned former producer for PBS and NPR, was occupying a hotel lobby in Mexico City in the midst of pondering this dilemma.
"At the very moment you're asking me, I have mixed feelings about how much America still feels like my country," Kahn said during a video conversation between my temporary French residence and Mexico City. In his youth, "Mexico welcomed us when America didn't want us, essentially. Mexico has always been home to expatriates as long as they don't practice the politics that got them in trouble in their own country," he said.
Back in 1950, at age eight, Kahn and his entire family fled to Mexico when his father, renowned Hollywood screenwriter Gordon Kahn, was called in by the powerful House Committee on Un-American Activities due to allegations of communist ties to the film industry. "He never ended up testifying," Kahn stated.
His father was pursued until age 62 by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. Today, Kahn is uneasy about similar dangers on the horizon. "There's a sense of security and belonging in Mexico. I'm not afraid of a crazy stranger targeting me there because I'm Jewish. Yet, I'm not convinced that I have to pack my bags and leave America just yet, but I'm getting close to it," said Kahn.
He's made five trips to Mexico City with his wife over the past six months, inching closer to a final decision.
There are various routes for escape. One option is simply relocating to another country where you can work and live without having to acquire a second citizenship. In France, for example, there's a spectrum of options - from visas allowing people to stay longer than the 90 days allowed by European rules, to the renewable carte de résidence.
Countries like France offer different paths to citizenship if you want to take that step further. It requires learning the language and customs, though.
Another avenue is the "golden passports," which some nations offer based on broad categories or levels of investment as a fast track to citizenship. There's also the "talent passport" if you have unique abilities.
Immigration lawyer Daniel Tostado, based in Paris, remarked, "A lot of people now know what a Trump administration would look like, and they're realizing more than ever that the door is open to live in another country, and it's not as difficult as they believed it might be."
Skyler Schmanski, who arrived in France eight years ago to study at a Marseille business school, is one such American who made a choice to remain there.
So, whether it's searching for a safer haven or just exploring a life outside of the United States, America's metamorphosis is driving people to consider alternative living spaces.
He shared with me his experience of living in a different country, "I got a taste of the kind of life over here. Be it education or healthcare, but as I enter my 30s and begin a new chapter, these things become more significant." Now, with a wife, a career, and French citizenship, he has no doubts about his decision.
Schmanski reminisced about two incidents that strongly influenced his decision. "One day, I bumped my head at midnight on an open cabinet door above me, saw blood, passed out, regained consciousness, and thought 'I should probably go to the hospital'. I'm an American though, so I thought 'no, I don't want the $20,000 bill'. But my girlfriend, now my wife, insisted I go to the hospital. It was covered, and I left with a 15 Euro ($16) bill. I was surprised. 'Wow, 15 Euros to sew up my head?' I thought. Maybe there's something to the system here."
The second incident was during his graduate studies. "I attended a prestigious master's program that lasted 15 months, costing the same as $15,000 roughly," stated Schmanski.
Casaburi of Global Citizens Solutions mentioned that Spain, Portugal, and Greece are currently the most sought-after destinations for Americans looking to escape. She also suggested that Italy might not be an ideal option due to the recent elections that resulted in a right-wing prime minister taking office.
Casaburi explained how their next move towards France would not be a significant change for them. "For us, it wouldn't require a huge leap. It would simply be a continuation of our time spent there now."
However, she added, "There is a cost for the country when you lose taxpaying income earners. Additionally, young professionals are also reconsidering their future."
Casaburi, who is Brazilian and lives in London, concluded, "Americans are now questioning whether they're moving from the frying pan into the fire, regardless of their political stance. We're all reassessing a bit of everything."
The couple's decision to relocate permanently would greatly depend on the nature of Trump's promise to act as a dictator for a day. As Pamela says, "It depends how safe we feel in the country he's promising - one that's no longer a democracy."
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In the process of contemplating their future, David A. Andelman and his wife discovered that many other Americans share their sentiments of considering permanent relocation. Adrian Leeds, a real estate advisor, noted a significant surge of younger people wanting to leave America, citing unhappiness and a desire to provide the best for their children in a safer environment.
Patricia Casaburi, CEO of Global Citizen Solutions, reported a significant increase in American clients seeking immigration advice since 2020, with France being a popular destination. She explained that while mass shootings and the political agenda both play a role in this trend, it's the potential for a second Trump presidency that seems to be the main catalyst for many American expatriates.
Source: edition.cnn.com
