Surge in Americans seeking to move to Ireland following Trump election

A rush of Americans are consulting migration services in the US – as they look to flee to Ireland to escape Trump’s presidency.

Expatsi, a company that helps US citizens seeking to move abroad, saw a dramatic surge in enquiries about relocating to Ireland in the two weeks after the election results were announced.

Ellen DeGeneres is reported to be settling into the Cotswolds, England, since Trump was voted back into office, while Eva Longoria, who has moved to Spain, fears the Republican leader will turn the United States into a “terrifying place” if he fulfils his promises.

Expatsi director Jen Barnett saw a month’s worth of traffic on her site in a few hours after the presidential election.

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In the two weeks since the race was called, more than 2,500 of the site’s visitors stated a preference for relocating here, while Ireland was recommended to a further 6,000 based on their needs. This was many multiples of the 647 looking to move across the Atlantic in the five weeks prior to the vote.

New Hampshire-based couple Nicholas and Karenelise Metz are among those making the difficult decision to pack up and leave the country they love – and Ireland is top of their list.

“The second regime of Donald Trump has a lot of people rattled, especially us. We fear for our family, and we are embarrassed to be here,” said Nicholas. They had both visited Ireland in the 90s and “fell in love”.

“We are leaving, there are other families in our neighbourhoods making the same moves, Ireland also which is nice,” said Nicholas.

The HVAC construction professional, who specialises in high rises and historical buildings, and has worked on Fenway Park in Boston, described Trump’s election as a “nightmare”.

His wife, Karenelise, who teaches English to immigrants, revealed one of their three children has been taunted in the school playground while with a friend who originally came from Scotland. “Another white child said, ‘We’re very excited that Trump is closing the border so all of you immigrants can go back home’.

“This nationalistic idea is heartbreaking,” she said, adding that the US was created as a “melting pot”.

They are hoping to start a new life in either Dublin or Cork with their three children by the end of the current school term but it has been a very difficult decision to leave the US. “We’re fighters, we’re people that are in it to win it, but this is one we can’t fight,” sighs Nicholas.

His ancestral ties to Ireland are among the reasons they are looking across the Atlantic but the English language along with employment opportunities in the construction industry are also attractions.

Expatsi director Jen said several dozen visitors to her site since November 5 have scheduled appointments with their experts to work out the logistics of a move to Ireland.

“Ireland is the only English-speaking country outside of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean to offer an option for retirees,” she says. “Many Americans also seek citizenship by descent, because the policy in Ireland is very generous for how far you can go back to trace your ancestry and as you know, many Americans claim to be Irish.

“The number of Americans who want to move abroad has risen dramatically due to politics and fear amongst people who are women, LGBTQ, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour), and others. Many also want to live where they can find a greater sense of community, walkable cities, and less processed foods, which draws them to Europe.”

She said they are working towards the goal of filling the Irish demand for skilled workers – “especially nurses, we would love to connect with recruiters who can use American talent”.

At present, she said Ireland is in the top 20 options for Americans. She added: “It doesn’t score highly with people who want sunny weather or a lower cost of living.”

But the weather won’t be turning off the Metz family. “I love it,” said Karenelise, with Nicholas adding: “It’s actually warmer and more mild than where we are, I love the cold.”

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