US freedom score cut as ICE detentions and visa revocations target pro-Palestinian speech

We lowered the United States freedom score from 8.7 to 8.0 on Country To Live. Federal immigration agents have detained lawful residents and green-card holders, and the State Department has revoked hundreds of student visas, over speech and activism critical of Israeli policy. Courts have pushed back in several cases, but the enforcement pattern is now clear enough for movers to weigh.

This is an editorial score for people comparing countries on our site. It is not legal advice, and it does not mean the US stopped being a major career and relocation destination.

Why we changed the score

• Visa revocations are running at scale. BBC reporting on Secretary Marco Rubio's remarks quotes him saying the US has revoked at least 300 foreign student visas as part of a crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activism, with more revocations happening regularly.
• Foreign-policy deportation powers are in active use. Unsealed court documents summarized by The Independent show Rubio personally signed off on arrests and removal efforts against student activists, citing Immigration and Nationality Act provisions that tie deportability to perceived foreign-policy harm.
• ICE detention has hit long-term residents over speech. Al Jazeera coverage of the Salah Sarsour case describes a Wisconsin mosque leader and lawful permanent resident held for months after decades in the US. A federal judge found a substantial First Amendment retaliation claim and ordered release, but the deportation case continues.
• Courts are intervening, but risk remains. JURIST's summary of the Sarsour ruling notes judges rejecting the argument that foreign-policy concerns automatically override speech rights. Wins in court do not erase the chilling effect for students, workers, and residents who speak on Middle East politics.
• Other US scores are unchanged this round. Economy, job market, and English access on the United States country page still reflect longer-term strengths. Only freedom moved.

What the number means on our site

Freedom on Country To Live measures how open we think daily life feels for speech, protest, press access, and rule-of-law guardrails that movers notice. An 8.0/10 keeps the US high for many movers, but below where it sat before this immigration-speech crackdown. Peers such as Canada or Germany may look steadier if campus activism or public Middle East commentary is part of your life abroad.

Open the United States country page for the full breakdown, or run Canada vs United States if freedom is your tie-breaker. Browse all country scores to see where the US sits after this cut.

Before you plan a move

1. Separate visa status from what you post. Student and work visas can be challenged over activism even when criminal charges never land. Read State Department and DHS notices before you protest, organize, or post from a US address.
2. Green cards are not a speech shield in practice. Court orders have freed detainees, but months in ICE custody still happen. Budget legal counsel if your move includes public advocacy on Gaza or Israeli policy.
3. Compare English-speaking bases on freedom, not salary alone. Canada and the United Kingdom score differently on this bar even when US job market numbers look stronger.

We will publish another update if enforcement eases for a sustained period or if higher courts narrow how foreign-policy deportation powers are used.

This note explains our editorial scoring only. It is not legal, immigration, or political advice.