For years, a number of African Americans have felt an unease about remaining in the United States, and for good reason. Many cite concerns about racial safety, a desire for better work-life balance, and the hope for economic security in retirement. Now these issues are being cited as the driving factors behind a migration trend of Black people leaving America to live abroad that is being termed the “Blaxit” (“Black Exit”) leap.
This modern migration is seeing Black expatriates settle in countries like Thailand, Dubai, Ghana, Portugal, South Africa, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, and more. These countries have become popular destinations for Black expatriates because their governments facilitate relocation through residency permits or Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) programs, which allow foreigners to acquire citizenship by purchasing property or paying a specified amount.
Charlotte Van Horn, CEO of Black Expats in Panama, actively supports these transitions. Her organization hosts cultural tours for U.S. citizens interested in moving to Panama and Colombia. Her tours feature conversations with local lawyers, doctors, real estate agents, insurance brokers, and moving companies who can answer relocation questions. “What we do is, people are interested in getting some basic knowledge about relocation,” Van Horn explained. “While we’re in these areas, we set up an opportunity for them to speak with professionals or have a little breakout session when they can get some information.”
Organizations have been created to help people who are looking to make the Blaxit leap. Groups like Nomadness,Black Expats in Panama,Travel Noir, and ExodUS Summit provide resources and community support to those ready to make the move.
“We started it because we individually live better lives outside of the United States as Black women than we could live inside,” said Stephanie Perry, who co-founded the ExodUS Summit in 2020 with Roshida Dowe, a “career break” coach. Perry argued that the U.S. has often been historically unfriendly to Black people: “The U.S. was never designed to be a safe, welcoming, and warm place for us; it was never supposed to be. It was always going to be a hostile environment for us, so if you can live better on less money in another place, then let’s try it.”
A new legislative threat
Yet now, even the freedom to hold dual nationality has come under fire. In December 2025, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, which aims to prohibit dual citizenship. It requires Americans with multiple nationalities to renounce their foreign citizenship(s) within one year or face automatic revocation of their U.S. citizenship.
Moreno, Ohio’s first Latino senator, was born in Colombia, immigrated to the U.S. as a child, and renounced his Colombian citizenship at age 18, when he became a U.S. citizen. He announced the bill on social media after proposing it in December, stating, “It was an honor to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and only to the United States of America. America First and America Only. It’s time to end dual citizenship for good.”
The proposed legislation has faced opposition from organizations like the Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO). AARO President Doris L. Speer said that U.S. law normally allows citizens to hold multiple nationalities without jeopardizing their U.S. citizenship. “U.S. law does not require a U.S. citizen to choose between U.S. citizenship and another (foreign) nationality (or nationalities),” she said. “A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to their U.S. citizenship. Many Americans living abroad have dual nationality. AARO will advocate vigorously against [the bill].”
Impact on the Blaxit movement
For many in the Blaxit community, the bill is a cause for concern but not panic. Dowe pointed out that most expats establish residency when they are abroad, rather than full citizenship.
“Most people who live abroad … aren’t getting citizenship; they’re getting residency,” she said. “Nothing in that bill impacts them having the right to live in another country. It does impact citizenship, but not residency, so for most of our people, it’s not a problem. The people I know who are getting citizenship in other countries are often doing that with the eye toward, at some point, getting rid of their U.S. citizenship.”
Van Horn, of Black Expats in Panama, said she advises her clients to keep their U.S. citizenship while enjoying the benefits of living abroad. She said popular destinations like Panama and Colombia offer vibrant African-descendant communities and a high quality of life.
“Panama is one of the most popular retirement destinations in the world, but you don’t have to have a lot of money,” Van Horn said. “I always try to stress that you just really need to be managed in your expectations and counting your coins. You have to make sure you do the research and know how much things cost: You’ve got to know more than how much the rent is and just make sure that you can afford whatever lifestyle you’re trying to achieve here.”