The privilege of picking up and starting over

Americans choosing life abroad might not be freedom but a retreat from what lies broken back at home.

By J.A. Aleman

Throughout human history people have migrated for various reasons. While countries need borders for security, that doesn’t invalidate the reasons people leave the place they were born in. 

People often migrate to find opportunities for themselves and their families in another part of the world. 

Since President Donald Trump was elected to office, there has been a resurgence in American citizens desiring to move out of the country. One of the main reasons, is simply that Trump is the President. The man is not readable, as the public doesn’t always know what he’ll do next, and this can bring fear but most of all, division.  

Let’s not get it twisted, however. America has been divided on many issues for decades and this is long before Trump was anywhere near a position in office. 

The political atmosphere in the U.S. has not been friendly and the public grows tired of the same headlines of left versus right over and over again. None of this adds anything to any conversation on any issue facing the American public, instead it has been a driving force of division and stagnation. Everyone chooses who to believe and only listens to whomever is closer to their political leaning. 

“Is it possible for a country to lose itself so much that leaving it is justified? Yes, but we’re not there yet. Not by a long shot, and we don’t need quitters,” said Comedian Bill Maher in his opening monologue on Real Time with Bill Maher. 

However, reports done by many outlets show a different story and aren’t willing to say as much. 

CNN reports about a family who decided to move from Washington state to Ecuador in 2021, saying American life with long commutes, not enough money and the isolated ways in which children are growing up is no longer what they wanted for their family. 

They applied for professional visas for applicants with university degrees and when they got there, they were surprised that their family of 6 could live comfortably with $1500 a month. They were able to arrive in Ecuador with savings and work remote jobs, with things going well as seen on their YouTube Channel. 

It sounds like a fairy tale come true and what every person desiring something different for their family hopes to experience, including those who emigrate to the U.S. from third world countries. 

The American Dream is a privilege and one which is based on the hope for opportunity and upward mobility. Many people don’t seem to realize they have this privilege because they were born here and that’s it. None of them ever had to take a test to show they belonged. 

As a child of two immigrant parents, I saw and understand the sacrifice it takes to be in a country that was built on making your own opportunity. How people in the past made their opportunities is something we can debate on another occasion because not all of it was pretty. 

Essentially, the idea of the American Dream has been a person creating the life they want to live. In other words, making the best of the land of opportunity. 

This can include deciding to move to another country with the wealth acquired in the United States. It’s a privilege to have dual citizenship and rent out your original house for extra income, while working a remote job and living in a whole different environment as some have done, according to The New York Times. 

The article mentions Robert Horten, a republican who planned to move from Virginia to Paris, France, in December 2024 because of politics. Horton worried in September about how Kamala Harris would lead the country and economy if she were to be elected president.   

Parents giving their children a different upbringing is a choice as a father I can get behind. But not all Americans or for that matter people in the world have the option of being financially comfortable to emigrate to a different country to start a new life. 

Society can’t be mad at people deciding to move for whatever reason, and just because others can’t move themselves, it doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t. If they have a chance at a better life for themselves and their children, then why not? 

The issue is people in the U.S. are finding petty reasons to give up on the country and running away. Search activity of emigration has gone up by 1514% and Americans are leaving because of healthcare, high cost of living and social unrest, according to Harvey Law Group. 

The real reason, however, is the division that this country is facing. The lack of actual conversations that contribute to the concrete growth of our communities. The truth is, everyone is not always going to care about issues that others care about. But does that mean ignoring or silencing these topics is the answer? Absolutely not. 

America isn’t a real melting pot because this would mean that the various cultures that make up our communities would disappear. No, America is a place where different cultures try to live in peace and harmony. That is the hope in the very least. 

When these cultures clash because of traditions, religion, or any other important aspect, people forget that it can’t be all or nothing because this country is not a place where only one culture or ideological framework exists. 

There is plenty to fix but also some things to feel good about before we can say America is done. America ranked the No. 5 best country overall, No. 4 in legal framework, No. 3 in cultural influence, the No. 2 country for studying abroad and first place in various areas, but in particular easy access to capital, according to U.S. News. 

Moving away from the U.S. is giving up on the American Dream that people in third world countries for decades have risked everything to get a taste of. Moving out of the U.S. is not the problem. Those who say the American Dream is dead and then continue living out that dream are the real issue in our society. 

Actress and Comedian Rosie O’Donnell took to TikTok and told her followers she moved to Ireland on Jan. 15 and expressed why she made the decision to leave, adding that she feels very welcomed there and was in the process of obtaining citizenship. 

“When it’s safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” O’Donnell said. 

However, The New York Times reported that O’Donnell’s application for Irish citizenship has not been approved yet. 

Again, celebrity or not, it doesn’t matter, as we are all living this American Dream. This does not mean it comes without struggle, fighting or hurdles to jump. We can see just from the three examples how far this privilege reaches, as many have never lived this opportunity. 

Moving out of a tumultuous country is another way America is showing its privilege, no matter what side of the political spectrum they’re on. There are only people looking for opportunities and in the end, that’s the American Dream.