Why I Am Considering Moving Away from the United States

March 2025 marked my first purely domestic flight of the year. By that point, I’d already visited Mexico, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, and wrapped things up in Thailand—my annual January world tour. I was so immersed in the cultural beauty of these countries that it felt like a protective shield against the chaos unraveling back home.

But when March rolled around and I took a trip with one of my closest friends, we found ourselves in the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport observing our surroundings. I looked around and everything appeared… normal.

And that bothered me.

The Project 2025 plan, seemingly adopted by the current administration, had already set off alarm bells for me. But sitting in the airport, watching people move as if nothing was wrong, made me uncomfortable. It felt like the country was teetering on the edge of a cliff—and most people hadn’t even noticed.

I turned to my friend and said, This is not okay. And while others were overhearing our

conversation, a few were vocal in their agreement.

Our country is in crisis. The president has openly challenged the democratic foundation of this nation, and now we’re on track for a constitutional showdown between the executive and judicial branches. Even Harvard University is stepping into the ring, pushing back on federal overreach. In a statement, the university claims the administration is exceeding “its lawful authority and infringing on both the University’s independence and its constitutional rights,” 1 after being threatened with a loss of funding for refusing to cave to political pressure.

But what disturbs me the most? The forced removal of undocumented individuals from the U.S. without due process. Let’s be clear: every person on U.S. soil—regardless of their citizenship status—has a constitutional right to due process. This isn’t supposed to be political. This is a fundamental legal and human right. Deporting someone without due process is the equivalent of handing down a sentence for a crime they haven’t even had a chance to defend themselves against. No evidence. No trial.

It’s terrifying.

The unchecked power being wielded by the executive branch is dangerous, and people—citizens and visitors alike—are taking notice. Some are choosing to leave the U.S. before the situation worsens. And yes, it can get worse.

I find myself at a crossroads. I often say I could live anywhere in the world, and for the most part, that’s true. But the U.S. is home. It’s where my people are. And yet… home is shifting in a way that scares me. What unsettles me most is how so many are moving through their day-to-day lives like it’s business as usual.

It makes me wonder: what happens if this path continues?

I’ve long dreamed of planting roots outside of the U.S.—not just country-hopping for a few days or weeks or months, but living somewhere else as a true global citizen. But I wrestle with the idea of leaving during such a critical time. Would I be abandoning my people and my home when they need me most?

At the same time, I believe people have to do what’s best for their safety, their families, and their

mental health.

I’m a bundle of emotions. My brain knows that what’s happening is deeply wrong. And as someone who wears the badge of a global citizen, I feel a responsibility to be transparent with my community. There is privilege in travel. But what happens at home can absolutely impact how we move across borders—within continents and across them.

So, will I move abroad?

Maybe. Someday.

But right now? My people need me.