Last year the U.S. experienced something that hasn’t definitively occurred since the Great Depression: More people moved out than moved in. The Trump administration has hailed the exodus—negative net migration—as the fulfillment of its promise to ramp up deportations and restrict new visas. Beneath the stormy optics of that immigration crackdown, however, lies a less-noticed reversal: America’s own citizens are leaving in record numbers, replanting themselves and their families in lands they find more affordable and safe.
it costs thousands and thousands of dollars to leave the country. meanwhile, many Americans couldn’t afford a 400$ surprise bill. I don’t blame people for leaving but the costs are usually upwards of 25k/person.
It does not cost thousands. It does cost a few hundred dollars.
Leaving usually requires downsizing to fit all your possessions inside a 70L pack. Most US Americans will have enough shit to pawn to afford that.
well that’s a fucking lie.
canada required 30k in savings and is the most accessible for most Americans.
go fuck yourself for talking shit about things you don’t know about honestly.
Now do going South.
It’s not a lie, it’s what I literally did. And many others did too.
ah yes, that should work fine for everyone. I’m certain it’s totally safe for trans people.
oh wait
oh no
don’t assume everyone has the same situation as you
Don’t assume every country in South America is Brazil or Mexico.
Trans people and poc face discrimination in pretty much every country in the world, Canada included. And also pretty much every country has at least once city where folks are more progressive than not.
I assure you that there are many places here in South America that are safer for you than the US right now.
Edit: if your trans you might have more options, being able to claim asylum. There is well documented evidence of state violence against queer folks in the US. See Canadian and HRC travel warnings.
Let’s quantify the cost of getting there (not the cost of a visa, application, or just air travel but also the cost of moving your entire life (everything you own, including vehicles, knick knacks, pets, children etc). I can’t afford it. I make decent money. But I also have a kid with special needs and a lot of stuff I have invested in like tools that I can’t really afford to just leave behind if I plan to be working in the same trade I work now.
I can afford a surprise bill. I can’t afford to just up sticks and leave the country permanently without literally probably years of saving and prep.
Having to pay for storage and housing and so on even before I get there, the cost of moving all that stuff (or selling it for a fraction of what it’s worth), that cost adds up.
But sure. Let’s do the foster care two trash bag thing for a family of four just because you want to be right.
That’s before even the cost of a job search.
You’re supposed to sell all your shit.
It’s stupid to try to move to another country with more than a backpack. It’s also stupid not to use contraception
Ahem. You want me to sell $80K work of tools and tool boxes, the car I literally rebuilt, and all my damn family photos for probably 1/16 or less what they are worth? My assets aren’t liquid and I’m not going to be able to rebuild that in my field in another country regardless of whether or not I can afford the fees and transportation. Those tools are how I make money. It took me ten years worth of buying and working to be able to afford them and I was lucky enough to get the basics for a ridiculous price as a student. There are a lot of people like me out there living and working in America who will not just abandon everything they own in order to leave until they have no other choice because that’s how they afford to feed and clothe and shelter themselves.
Skilled work doesn’t just mean working from home at an overseas job on a computer all day. If that works for you because you’re a software dev or work in like financial billing or something, that’s great. Plumbers, Civil Engineers, Automative Techs, etc aren’t going to be able to just re-enter that field with the clothes on their back and a backpack.
You’re deluding yourself if you think that even if you sell all that stuff it’s not going to take time and be a financial hardship.
And I have done it. I’ve moved overseas with more than a fucking backpack.
Legally emigrating to a new country takes a lot of effort, but even doing it illegally (by buying a ticket and overstaying your tourist visa) would take at least a few thousand dollars, for the flight plus expenses for a few months while you find some income
Any then then after the next election you get deported to nigeria for being an illegal immigrant
There are loads of countries in South America where you can get a visa in a few months.
It cost me a couple hundred dollars. I didn’t even speak Spanish (at the time; I learned the language after I came), and I didn’t need to hire an immigration lawyer. People who pay thousands do it because they want a lawyer to do all the work for them.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html
https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp#economic
Here are two sources directly from the Canadian government that show you are demonstrably wrong.
There are more fees and costs than this. But these are two examples.
It does cost thousands. Don’t minimize the difficulty of immigration. It’s not easy for anyone.
You’re going north. Now do south.
I’m not wrong. I did it during his first term.
Emmigrating ≠ being a digital nomad
There are literally countries with visas that are named “digital nomad visa” with a path to residency and then citizenship.
So, yeah, it sometimes is.
Citation needed
Citation is me, writing to you from South America.
I’m not going to dox myself, but I can assure you that there’s a lot of refugees from the US who have been coming for years.
Every country is different and the visa rules here in my country have changed several times since I came. But I recommend googling it. There are affordable options for you.
Anecdote makes poor evidence, but let’s roll.
Ok, we pick a South American country that’s dirt cheap and scrounge the cash to get there. And let’s say to hell with visas and assorted fees as a factor because a guy on the Internet told me that he did it almost a decade ago and it was totally cheap bro.
What language do they speak there? I’m not so arrogant as to assume Spanish, so I’m gonna need to learn that. I’ll have to rehome my cats cause I’ll bet getting them there with us isn’t likely. Quit my job, though that was always going to happen. Find a new job and hope that refugees can get and engineering job over a citizen because I’ve got fuck all in other skills and while not the fattest American around, my cardio game is weak and manual labor would be a transition. How’s the healthcare? Probably better than the US to be fair, but do they have my spouse’s medications, one of which will cause seizures if discontinued suddenly.
All that in addition to whatever it costs now. Please continue to tell me how easy it is.
The healthcare here is better than the US. Drugs are plentiful, easier to get, and cheaper.
Pets are hard. Moving a family is expensive. Moving yourself is a few hundred dollars. Get the visa in the US before you leave. It takes a few months. First start by getting your fingerprints and your FBI report. Those took the longest, and every country is going to want that.
I recommend working online. Jobs here don’t pay.