An LGBTQ Nation article in February covered California Governor Gavin Newsom’s sharp critique of the Trump administration following a report showing record-breaking emigration from the United States in early 2026. Newsom mocked the Make America Great Again slogan, suggesting that the American Dream is now being sought by citizens moving abroad rather than those arriving.
The report indicates that hundreds of thousands of Americans—disproportionately LGBTQ+ individuals and families—are seeking residency in countries like Spain, Canada, and Germany to escape increasingly restrictive federal policies. Newsom highlighted that the mass exodus is a direct result of the One Big Beautiful Bill and the federal rollback of civil rights, which he claims has turned the U.S. into a hostile environment for marginalized communities.
By framing the emigration as a “brain drain” of talent and diversity, Newsom positioned California as a “sanctuary state” while warning that the national trajectory is fundamentally broken. For many, it might seem that the American Dream has transitioned from a domestic promise to a foreign necessity.
