A growing number of U.S. citizens are considering emigration. According to the 2022 Gallup polls, as many as 15 percent of Americans say they want to leave the country permanently, and even more say they would consider expatriating at the appropriate time.

CGTN spoke to Americans who have moved to Lisbon, Portugal to find out why they decided to leave the U.S. for good. From the rise of a violent far right to the daily experience of gun violence, they found it increasingly difficult to feel at ease in their daily lives. Having lived in a culture of fear for so long, one interviewee said it even took her a while to get used to moving to a safe environment.