LGBTQ Americans Escaping Trump's Policies Flock to Holland for Safe Haven
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of U.S. citizens, particularly from the LGBTQ community, moving to the Netherlands. This trend can be traced back to the re-election of President Donald Trump in 2016.
Immigration lawyers in Amsterdam have reported an uptick in requests from U.S. citizens seeking to relocate to the Netherlands. This trend is further corroborated by Sandro Kortekaas, a spokesperson for the Dutch NGO LGBT Asylum Support, who mentioned that there have been more asylum applications from the United States this year compared to last.
One such couple, Alex and Lucy from Arizona, moved to Amsterdam this year due to growing discrimination and fears of losing access to federal health insurance in the United States. Lucy, one half of the trans couple, feels more at home in Amsterdam than in the United States.
The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) plays a significant role in this migration trend. The DAFT visa enables U.S. citizens to live and work in the Netherlands if they meet certain criteria. Jack Mercury, a trans adult performer from California, moved to Amsterdam almost a year and a half ago, "literally the moment I knew Trump was going to be re-elected". Mercury cited the DAFT visa as one of the few financially accessible visas for him.
The permit does not keep statistics on the sexual orientation or gender identity of DAFT applicants, but overall applications have increased since 2016, with January 2025 registering the highest number of any single month on record - 80.
However, it is important to note that there are no specific publicly available data or detailed studies quantifying how many LGBTQ individuals from the United States have moved to the Netherlands since 2016 specifically due to the political and social climate. The search results did not provide concrete figures or focused analysis on this migration trend.
The general context suggests that migration of LGBTQ individuals can be influenced by factors such as concerns over safety, social acceptance, and legal protections in their home country versus destination countries. The Netherlands is often seen as a progressive country with strong legal protections and social acceptance for LGBTQ people, which could serve as a motivating factor for migration.
Jess Drucker, an LGBTQ relocation expert, has noticed a major increase in requests for consultations from U.S. clients wanting to move to the Netherlands. The Dutch NGO LGBT Asylum Support has received about 50 trans Americans contacting them since Trump's inauguration, urging the government to consider asylum options for LGBTQ Americans.
While Lucy and Alex express gratitude for their new life in Amsterdam, they remain concerned about a future Dutch administration potentially damaging the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT). More than 950 anti-trans bills were introduced in U.S. state legislatures this year, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker. With 120 of these bills passing, 647 failing, and 186 still under consideration, it is clear that the political climate in the United States continues to be challenging for the LGBTQ community.
In summary, while specific numbers and detailed reasons for United States-based LGBTQ migration to the Netherlands since 2016 are not documented in the available sources, it is reasonable to infer that political and social climate factors—such as seeking greater safety, acceptance, and legal rights—are primary reasons underlying such migration trends. Reliable statistics on this topic would require specialized migration and demographic studies that currently seem unavailable or unpublished.
- The surge in U.S. citizens, particularly from the LGBTQ community, moving to the Netherlands can partially be attributed to political factors, as the re-election of President Donald Trump in 2016 has contributed to growing concerns over safety, social acceptance, and access to federal health insurance, pushing some individuals to seek refuge in progressive countries like the Netherlands.
- The increased number of asylum applications from the United States this year, compared to last, can also be linked to the political climate, as the rise in anti-LGBTQ bills in U.S. state legislatures this year creates uncertainty and fear among the LGBTQ community, potentially leading some to explore options for relocation to countries with stronger legal protections and social acceptance, such as the Netherlands.
