The Reassessment of American Citizenship: A New Trend Among the Young and Educated. By Johnson Choi reports from Hong Kong on January 2 2026 對美國公民身份的重估：年輕高知族群的新趨勢
香港報道 | 蔡永強 | 2026年1月2日

Opening Context: The “Golden Visa” & A Personal Catalyst

Our discussion began with a symbolic case: the $5 million “Golden Visa” problem under the Trump administration, highlighting the traditional view of U.S. citizenship as a premium, sought-after asset. This framed a stark contrast to the personal story that followed.

A Forty-Three Year Perspective: A Family’s Journey

This perspective comes from a dinner with an old friend and client in Hong Kong, a relationship spanning 43 years since we first met in Hawaii in 1981. Her family’s experience is a telling microcosm of shifting perceptions:

· The Daughter’s Choice: Their daughter, born in the U.S., exhibited a lifelong aversion to the country. Despite no anti-American sentiment from her parents, she refused to attend U.S. college and obtained her Ph.D. outside of US.
· The Final Act: In 2025, she formally gave up her U.S. citizenship.

Client Inquiry: Echoing a Growing Sentiment

This personal case is not isolated. It directly prompts a follow-up question I now hear frequently from my client base: “How does she feel after giving up her US Citizenship?”

The inquiry reflects a broader, significant shift. I am approached by clients—young and old, predominantly well-educated—who are actively investigating giving up their US Citizenship. Their prevailing view:

· U.S. citizenship is increasingly seen as a long-term liability, not a benefit.
· This calculus extends to their children’s futures.

The Outcome: Prioritizing Security and Stability

The feedback from the parents is clear: their 28-year-old daughter is thriving. In Hong Kong, with a good job, she has sidestepped the acute societal anxieties plaguing her American peers:

· Asian Hate Crimes
· Pervasive Drug Problems
· Violent Crime & Gun Violence
· Visible Homelessness Crises

This trade-off—relinquishing a powerful passport for perceived daily safety and mental peace—is becoming a rational choice.

Identifying a Trend: The Young, Educated, and in STEM

This case is part of a discernible pattern. I am observing several clients with children under 30 who are in the process of giving up their US Citizenship.

Their profile is consistent:

· Smart, highly educated.
· Working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
· They view the United States not as a land of opportunity, but as a high-risk environment that poses a liability to their personal security and family well-being.

The Paradox: A Diverging American Dream
This creates a striking paradox in the modern American narrative:

· For the globally mobile, educated elite, the U.S. is losing its allure due to societal risks.
· For blue-collar workers, including immigrants with limited education or English skills, the U.S. remains a top destination. It offers stable employment in roles often rejected by white American youth, providing vital opportunities for people of color.

Conclusion: A Fundamental Rethinking

We are witnessing a fundamental re-evaluation. The very concept of the “American Dream” is bifurcating. For a growing segment of the world’s young talent—precisely those the U.S. aims to attract and retain—the premium attached to U.S. citizenship is depreciating, weighed down by profound societal challenges. The long-term implications of this intellectual and capital outflow warrant serious attention.

開篇背景：「黃金簽證」與個人催化劑

我們的討論始於一個象徵性案例：特朗普政府時期500萬美元的「黃金簽證」問題，這凸顯了將美國公民身份視為優質、搶手資產的傳統觀念。這與隨後的真實個人故事形成了鮮明對比。

四十三年視角：一個家庭的歷程

這一視角源於在香港與一位老朋友兼客戶的晚餐。我們的交情可追溯至1981年在夏威夷的初次見面，至今已跨越43年。她家庭的經歷，正是觀念轉變的一個鮮明縮影：

· 女兒的選擇： 他們在美國出生的女兒，自幼便對該國表現出終生的排斥。儘管父母並無反美情緒，她卻拒絕入讀美國大學，並在美國以外的地方取得了博士學位。
· 最終決定： 2025年，她正式放棄了美國公民身份。

客戶的探詢：迴響著一種日益增長的情緒

這個案並非孤例。它直接引發了一個我現在從客戶群中經常聽到的追問：「放棄美國公民身份後，她感覺如何？」

這種探詢反映出一個更廣泛、更顯著的轉變。不斷有客戶——無論年輕或年長，主要為受過良好教育的人士——主動向我諮詢放棄美國公民身份的事宜。他們的主流觀點是：

· 美國公民身份日益被視為一項長期負債，而非資產。
· 這種考量延伸至他們子女的未來。

結果：優先考慮安全與穩定
來自其父母的反饋很明確：他們28歲的女兒生活順遂。在香港，她有一份好工作，得以避開困擾其美國同齡人的尖銳社會焦慮：

· 針對亞裔的仇恨犯罪
· 普遍的毒品問題
· 暴力犯罪與槍支暴力
· 顯而易見的無家可歸危機
這種以放棄強大護照換取可感知的日常安全與內心平靜的權衡，正成為一種理性的選擇。

識別趨勢：年輕、高知、STEM領域

此案例是一個可辨識模式的一部分。我觀察到好幾位客戶，其未滿30歲的子女正在辦理放棄美國公民身份。他們的特徵一致：

· 聰明，受過高等教育。
· 從事科學、技術、工程和數學（STEM）領域的工作。
· 他們不再將美國視為機遇之地，而是一個高風險環境，對其個人安全與家庭福祉構成負擔。

悖論：分化的「美國夢」
這在現代美國敘事中創造了一個驚人的悖論：

· 對於全球流動的受過教育的精英階層而言，美國因其社會風險正在失去吸引力。
· 對於藍領工人，包括教育程度有限或英語技能不足的移民而言，美國仍然是首選目的地。它提供了通常被美國白人青年拒絕的穩定工作崗位，為有色人種提供了重要的機會。

結論：根本性的反思
我們正在見證一場根本性的重新評估。「美國夢」這一概念本身正在分化。對於世界上日益增長的年輕人才——正是美國力圖吸引和保留的那些人——附屬於美國公民身份的溢價正在貶值，被深重的社會挑戰所拖累。這種智力與資本外流的長期影響，值得我們嚴肅關注。