The United States, a “nation of immigrants,” which celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, has experienced its first net population outflow since the Great Depression, according to estimates. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), an analysis of data from 15 countries, including European countries, found that at least 180,000 Americans migrated to these countries last year.
An analysis by the Brookings Institution, a think tank, also found that the US saw a net population outflow of 150,000 last year. The net outflow is expected to increase this year. Immigration companies say the US government currently has a backlog of applications for Americans requesting to renounce their citizenship to obtain foreign passports or avoid taxation on their foreign income. The number of applications to renounce US citizenship has increased by 48% as of 2024 compared to the previous year, and the increase is expected to be even larger last year, the WSJ reported.
The last time a net outflow of US population occurred statistically was in 1935. The most popular country of choice for immigrants leaving the United States at the time was the Soviet Union, with over 100,000 people.