Feeling the Heat: Why Californians Are Ready to Strip Away the State!

A sense of fear is pushing more Americans to consider life outside U.S. borders, with a notable increase among Californians. As another election draws near, concerns about political division and uncertainty have prompted many to explore the possibility of starting anew overseas.

“I just feel like it’s time to enjoy a life that’s free from any American worry,” said one Californian, voicing concerns over a potential “MAGA regime” taking power. This sentiment is echoed by others who feel trapped by a polarized atmosphere and are ready to leave behind the conflicts they feel America has come to represent.

A recent report highlights this growing trend, pointing out that since 2020, the number of U.S. citizens seeking advice on moving abroad has been on the rise, with the largest share from California. Henley & Partners, a global migration consultancy, notes that demand for their services has surged again this election year. “They want an option to escape,” said Basil Mohr Elzeki, who heads Henley’s North American branch, explaining that many clients are motivated by political concerns on both ends of the spectrum. “Now with the election, people have opinions on both ends, and they’re worried,” he said.

For many, the catalyst was the 2016 election, which they saw as the beginning of a worrisome new direction for the U.S. Jen Barnett, founder of Expatsi, said her site—a resource for Americans interested in relocating—saw a dramatic 900% increase in traffic after the first presidential debate between Biden and Trump. She and her husband eventually moved to Mexico after spending years weighing their options. “Just that he could be nominated to me meant that something was irreparably broken, and it wasn’t something we could get back,” Barnett shared.

Others, like 54-year-old Californian Mykel Dicus, feel a sense of urgency to seek stability and safety abroad. Dicus, who plans to move to Spain within three years, admits he’s motivated by his discomfort with another potential Trump administration. “If a regime like MAGA should win this election, I’m very scared,” he said. For him, this move represents a chance to escape political turmoil and enjoy a peaceful life.

Migration experts point out that it’s not just liberals contemplating the move. Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, a migration researcher at the University of Kent in Brussels, notes an uptick in Americans from both sides of the political spectrum exploring the idea of leaving. “Anecdotally, I’ve heard more and more folks talking not just about a Trump administration, but about the divisiveness in the country,” she said, highlighting that political tensions affect a wide range of people.

Marco Permunian, founder of Italian Citizenship Assistance, observed a similar pattern. While his firm first saw a spike in interest following the 2016 election, demand for assistance has remained strong under the Biden administration as well. “We came to the conclusion there is a sense of fear in general, and that affects people from both sides of the political spectrum,” Permunian said.

This growing interest in moving abroad reflects an overarching sentiment: Americans are concerned about the direction their country is heading, and they’re willing to uproot their lives to find what they hope will be a safer, more stable future elsewhere.