World may be rethinking of the American dream

LONDON There has long been a romanticised notion about immigration and America. The reality has always been different, with race and ethnicity playing undeniable roles in the tension over who can be an American

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The world may be rethinking the American dream. For centuries, people in other countries saw the United States as place of welcome and opportunity.

Now, President Donald Trump's drive for mass deportations of migrants is riling the streets of Los Angeles, college campuses, even churches - and fueling a global rethinking about the virtues and promise of coming to America. “The message coming from Washington is that you are not welcome in the United States,” said Edwin van Rest, CEO of Studyportals, which tracks real-time searches by international students considering studying in other countries. Student interest in studying in America has dropped to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic, it found. “The fact is, there are great opportunities elsewhere.”

There has long been a romanticized notion about immigration and America. The reality has always been different, with race and ethnicity playing undeniable roles in the tension over who can be an American. The US still beckons to the “huddled masses” from the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. The strong economy has helped draw millions more every year, with the inflow driving the US population over 340 million.

Early clues across industries — like tourism, trade, entertainment and education — suggest the American dream is fading for foreigners who have historically flooded to the US. Polling by Pew Research Center from January through April found that opinions of the US have worsened over the past year in 15 of the 24 countries it surveyed.