As this is an expat forum there's likely to be a number expats who don't have US citizenship or green cards.
There's a genuine concern amongst those of us that are here on visas. There's a worry that our visas can be cancelled or simply not renewed on a whim due to a spat between the current regime and the "mother country". That may not be very likely, but the unpredictability and uncertainty is making us consider a plan B.

I agree.

in 2019 we did a 2 week Panama Canal cruise and had 2 quite shocking conversations. First up was a discussion at a coffee shop one breakfast time with a USC who was traveling with his mother. The cruise had meant to be with his wife but on renewing her green card for the 4th or 5th time it had been rejected and her appeal had been rejected and they had now employed an immigration lawyer.

a couple of days later my wife was in the knitters group and one of the ladies said she had not planned to be traveling alone but her friend had had her green card renewal rejected and was currently in the appeal process. Again this was someone who had successfully renewed her green card multiple times in the past.

a green card has to be renewed every 10 years. It's a real pity someone renewing for the 4th or 5th time never naturalized.

A lot of countries don’t allow dual citizenship, so people prefer to keep their home country citizenship and stay as a green card holder.

Perhaps I was a little naive to assume this wouldn't actually get political. I had hoped to just hear people's perspectives about the idea of returning to the UK to live.
I myself am politically liberal but work in law enforcement, where a lot of my colleagues are conservatives. We get on really well, and on the occasions when we do discuss politics, it's always in a friendly and constructive way. A lot of the conservatives I know are appalled at the apparent takeover happening in the federal government and are very concerned about the future. If anything, this has given us something to agree on, while we respectfully differ on other matters.
I'm disappointed that some posters here feel the need to make cheap political jibes. However, I'm glad I could provoke a debate here, even if it wasn't necessarily on the topic of returning to the UK.

Thanks for opening up the subject Gannet.
In regards to a move to the UK, I find watching "Escape to the Country" can give me a yearning to return.

For me I would be more motivated to move due to the pull of a new location rather than a push to leave the US. I like living here, but I'm also pragmatic enough to keep an eye on possible options in the UK and EU for the future.
Andy

And on that (very well said) note, let’s get the thread back on track. Anybody wanting to discuss politics, TIO is the place for you.

I’m also going to move it to the part of the forum specifically for those thinking of returning to the UK.

well, I will answer again non politically. I think UK has plenty of its own problems. Only you can make the decision as to what is the lesser of 2 evils. Such a personal decision.

Good post, thanks for that.

We bought a flat in England in 2015, so I’ve spent extended periods over there over the last decade, with my wife joining me for holidays of two or three weeks a year, typically. We are both retired. This has given me the unsurprising insight that, for many people, you feel a deep attachment to your native country, however long you live abroad. (She’s American, I’m English.)

I have developed real friendships in the English town where our flat is located. Beyond that, I feel comfortable and at peace in England. I enjoy talking to totally random strangers on the bus, in Marks and Spencer, wherever. I often feel there’s an unspoken “I know where you’re coming from” in such street conversations in England, whereas when I try that in America, folks are often a bit over-formal or don’t even understand what I’m saying, my irony or sarcasm or whatever.

Also, in England, I enjoy cycling around the country lanes, visiting medieval churches, eating cream teas in National Trust cafes, all that stuff. Another reason I spent over six months in England last year was that my widowed sister had a very serious medical issue that has entailed many weeks in the hospital, constant appointments with GP, specialists, counsellors, daily home visits from nurses, etc etc. Naturally she bitches and moans about the care she’s received, but obviously there is no £££ dimension to her worries!

Getting yourself mentally prepared to move and sort out all the options is a good idea. You will need a visa for your wife, so that is another reason to think ahead. Ignore the doom scrollers and focus on yourself. Do you have children coming with you? How close are you to retirement? Do you qualify for a UK pension? If so, check how many years you have contributed, as you can make up years you don't have enough years for a full pension. My husband has just done that, and I plan to do the same for myself. You have until April 2025 to do that; after that, if it reverts to normal six catch-ups.
We moved back last August as my husband retired. We considered seriously returning to the UK about 2-3 years ago. We are UK citizens, so we didn't have the hassle of getting a visa. We have no regrets about moving back. Yes, like the US, the government is terrible, but not as awful as the current administration in the US. So far, we have no grumbles. We found a doctor and recently a dentist, knowing we would have to pay privately. Even without insurance, it's cheaper than the US. It took us a while to sort out finances, so open an HSBC or Wise account. We quickly discovered that US banks don't like expats, so you can't use a UK address or phone number. There are ways around this if you have family in the US and get a low-cost cell plan from companies like Mint Mobile. It might be worth searching that out on this forum, as we didn't know about it before moving. Our next issue is the required US Tax return. Our finances are complex, so we want to use a professional for a couple of years until things settle down, but we are having difficulties finding one!

Good luck, and I understand why you might eventually want to move. In 2 years, things might be better than you hoped or worse, so it is best to be prepared if you have options.

Undoubtedly true for us plebs. But I always wondered - what do rich people do? Rich folks like to move around a lot. I know there are private banks out there, so that's probably an option for them, but do the big banks (Chase, Wells Fargo etc) have some secret handshake backdoor 'high net worth' method of getting round their restrictions they impose on the rest of us?

Even high street banks have private banking services for HWIs (High worth individuals) and their services can definitely streamline banking, even across borders.

Maybe I lucked out, but I've not had any issues with keeping my Bank of America current account while having a UK address. I did phone them several times before I left the US to check that they would be okay with my having a foreign address, and was always told yes. I did set up a yubikey for secure access while I was still in the US (so I don't need a code via text if I'm doing online banking via laptop) but I've been able to migrate my old cell number to Google Voice so as far as BoA is concerned I still have a US cell that they can send texts to. Changed my address online last summer and all has been going smoothly so far.....

this. The massive unemployment that will come from the unemployment of so many federal workers in the us, the nonpayment of contracts, and the destabilizing effect on education from the defunding of universities and k12 education….that’s a lot at once.

I live in the dc region, and 10% of the state are
federal workers (I’m not, but neighbors are). I don’t even know what percent are federal contractors, and on top of that…all the people employed to support federal workers (educators, accountants, etc).

If they achieve their goals, it will be bad, really really bad.

Hi! I'm in a similar boat and am similarly frustrated trying to find help! My Situation:

US citizen but born and raised in the UK (no current UK passport though); wife US citizen.
Both retired, in our 70s; with good private and SS pensions, and substantial liquid assets (not including two homes ... the US was a miracle for wealth accumulation!)

We need help on how to transfer assets to the UK, how to handle US/UK pensions etc.

We're frustrated as we CANNOT be the first couple with this description who want to move (back in my case) to the UK.

We're willing to pay a fair amount for an expert to help us avoid what I assume are a massive number of possible mistakes in such a move!

HELP!