LGBT Americans settling in Spain amid Trump's DEI crackdown

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00:00In the upmarket neighbourhood Salamanca, James has his routine.

00:09I come to the coffee shop every day and it's right near my house.

00:12This American from Tennessee chose to move here two years ago.

00:17The security in Madrid is really great, especially for gay people.

00:20I'm a gay guy.

00:22Feeling safe in the streets if you're with your partner,

00:25if you're with a group of your friends.

00:27Since Donald Trump's re-election...

00:29How are you?

00:30...some of his friends are considering joining him,

00:33worried about the latest and DLGBT policies.

00:49Those kinds of worries have convinced James to stay in Spain.

00:53I did do a two-year expansion on my visa

00:56because the United States doesn't seem like a very stable place right now.

01:01Since 2018, the number of Americans in the Madrid region

01:05has increased by 35%.

01:08This tax lawyer says the trend accelerated

01:11after Donald Trump's victory in the Republican primaries.

01:16The number of calls I've had from American clients

01:19wanting to settle in Spain has almost tripled compared to 2023.

01:24Madrid is a low-cost city

01:26and it's offering tax incentives for foreigners who want to come here.

01:32To integrate well in Spanish society...

01:37...some Americans are prepared to work hard.

01:43Mary and Josh have come to spend several weeks in Spain.

01:48We needed a break from America.

01:50I think America's in a really hard place right now.

01:52I want to just come here as a tourist.

01:54We can spend three hours a day doing classes and we make it work.

01:57It's tough because I work at night.

02:02Learning Spanish is a first step towards potentially settling here long-term.

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