Interesting and a good read.
It depends upon where you live. Most nations by far lack anything close to the standard of living in the USA. I've lived abroad, and that's the reality. The higher the standard of living, the harder it is to get permanent residence rights. For example, right now, it is exceedingly difficult for a foreigner to get legal permission to live and work in the UK.
Despite our turmoil, and the four years of upheaval we face, the US is still a magnet for immigrants. I retired from immigration law years ago, but not a month goes by when I don't receive communications from someone seeking advice on how to immigrate. I believe that in the end, immigrants, as always, will save the country. The folks immigrating here today are coming for quality of life , which of course included standards of living and freedoms not found elsewhere. I have found that they are more likely to appreciate the Bill of Rights than most native born Americans.
One thing that immigrants have informed me, which might run counter to the narratives of many, is that they feel far less discrimination and find more opportunities here than in Europe. I was surprised, and undertook a detailed search of the immediate situation. We know of the anti-immigrant parties on the rise in Europe, the assaults on minorities in the UK, Netherlands, Ireland and France. The European far right make Trump look like a civil rights leader.
Right now, I would advise a Jewish person not to immigrate to France or the Netherlands, as they seem unable to control violent antisemitism, mostly coming from immigrants, something we almost never see here in america. So , whether one can or should immigrate to a specific nation often depends on who one is. For example, I's strongly advise my LBGTQ+ friends and family to stay away from Hungary and Italy, as their government are catering to sometimes violent homophobes.
I travel to Europe quite regularly, and I have heard countless Europeans say things about immigrants that would be right at home at a MAGA rally. If anyone believes the British, Irish, Scandinavians, French, Spanish or Belgians are more welcoming and accepting of immigrants and other cultures than we are in America, they are in for a very rude awakening.
It's not possible or reasonable to think that one automatically improves their situation by leaving the US. Some will, some won't. Most expats I have known eventually returned to the US. Only a minority made it work. Common reasons for returning: simple homesickness and missing friends and family, lack of professional or economic opportunity, cultural and language differences. The success stories generally involved those who ran businesses or had good jobs with overseas companies, those who married locals, and above all, those who learned the language and the culture. (Not all that different than immigrating to America.)
In other words, to most of the world's immigrants or would-be-immigrants, America is still their best hope, and that augers very well for our future.
