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It had been months since Alex and Lucy, a trans couple from Arizona, felt safe enough to hold hands in public. They rediscovered that pleasure after moving to Amsterdam this year.

The couple, who did not want to give their last names because of the sensitivity of the subject, decided to leave the United States soon after Donald Trump was re-elected last year.

They arrived in the Netherlands on January 19, the day before Trump was inaugurated and swiftly issued an executive order saying the government would only recognize two sexes – male and female.

"We're both visibly trans and faced growing discrimination. It ramped up right after the election," said Lucy, sitting alongside Alex in their De Pijp apartment in Amsterdam's south.

"It felt like people had taken off their masks – waiting for an excuse to finally say what they wanted. We went from being tolerated to openly despised," she added.

Alex, who is disabled, feared staying put might also mean losing access to their federal health insurance.

"In the end, it became a matter of life and death," Alex said.

Rollback of rights

In his first six months in office, Trump has enacted multiple policies affecting the lives of LGBTQ+ Americans in areas from healthcare to legal recognition and education.

In the face of this rollback of rights, some LGBTQ+ people have voted with their feet.

While there is little official data, LGBTQ+ people and activists told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that many people head to Portugal and Spain, while Costa Rica and Mexico are also popular destinations, alongside France and Thailand.

The Netherlands stands out, though, for its strong legal protections, its record on LGBTQ+ inclusivity, and due to a Dutch–American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) and its affiliated visa.

Established in 1956, DAFT enables U.S. citizens to live and work in the Netherlands if they start a small business investing at least $5,200, can secure Dutch housing, and are able to prove they have enough money to live on.

The permit is valid for two years and can be renewed.

"Europe was always on the cards, but the Netherlands had a really high percentage of queer folks, and we knew people here (who) were trans and happy," said Lucy, who got a DAFT visa.

'Numbers increasing'

While the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) does not keep statistics on the sexual orientation or gender identity of DAFT applicants, overall applications have increased since 2016, with January 2025 registering the highest number of any single month on record – 80.

"The numbers are increasing. We don't know why," said Gerard Spierenburg, IND spokesperson.

Immigration lawyers also report an increase.

"From the day after the election, my inbox began filling up with requests of U.S. citizens wanting to move to the Netherlands," said lawyer Jonathan Bierback, adding that about a fifth came from the LGBTQ+ community.

Three other lawyers in Amsterdam confirmed the trend in interviews with the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Jack Mercury, a trans adult performer from California, moved to Amsterdam almost a year and a half ago – "literally the moment I knew Trump was going to be re-elected".

He said the DAFT visa was "one of the few financially accessible visas" for him.

He now lives in west Amsterdam with a partner and two cats.

"The words to describe the U.S. in the last 100 days are uncertainty and fear. For trans people, it's fear that they'll lose access to healthcare, rights like housing or the ability to work. And for gay people and lesbians, it's that they will become the next targets," Mercury said.

'I feel very lucky'

This year, more than 950 anti-trans bills were introduced in U.S. state legislatures, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker, of which 120 have passed, 647 failed, and 186 are still under consideration.

"I feel very lucky. I know many people who cannot afford to move, because they're not high earners, they are sick, have family or children," said Mercury.

His friend Topher Gross, a trans hair stylist from New York who has been in Amsterdam for four years, offered housing tips and recommended a lawyer.

"Everyone's exploring any possible way to get out," said Gross. "But not everyone can – many trans people of color can't afford to leave. It's terrifying."

He noted that the climate of fear was exacerbated by deportations under Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.

"Basic rights are being stripped away."

'People see how quickly rights can erode'

Jess Drucker, an LGBTQ+ relocation expert with U.S.-based Rainbow Relocation, said many U.S. clients choose to go Dutch.

"People see how quickly rights can erode, with the global rise of right-wing extremism, and want to move somewhere where those rights are more likely to hold," Drucker said.

"We've seen a major increase in requests for consultations. We are absolutely full."

Because not everyone can afford a DAFT visa, the Dutch NGO LGBT Asylum Support is urging the government to consider asylum options for LGBTQ+ Americans.

Spokesperson Sandro Kortekaas said about 50 trans Americans had contacted the group since Trump's inauguration.

In June, the group asked the government to reassess the status of the United States as a safe country for queer asylum seekers. However, Bierback does not expect success as such a shift would be seen "as a provocation towards the U.S."

Spierenburg from the IND said there had been more asylum applications from the United States this year than last, although the numbers were still low – 33 against 9 in 2024.

Lucy and Alex are grateful for their new life.

"When I came here, I felt more at home than I ever did. I have so much hope," said Lucy.

But she does worry that a future Dutch administration – a right-wing coalition collapsed in June – could kill off DAFT.

"I'm really concerned that the treaty is going to be damaged by current political agendas. And so I'm doing everything I can to make sure that I stay within the rules. I don't want to be extradited for any reason."