Why we moved to NZ after Trump was elected

From Checkpoint, 6:23 pm on 14 December 2018

The Nash family were among 17,000 Americans who took steps to emigrate to New Zealand after the 2016 presidential election.

More than 17,000 United States citizens registered to move to New Zealand in November 2016 when Donald Trump was elected as the president of the United States.

Immigration New Zealand said site visits jumped by 2500 percent after the election.

The Nash family from Texas was among those contributing to the numbers.

Austin natives Jon and Madeline Nash had talked about moving before the election, but with deep roots there, digging them up and moving was tough.

"It was what we had always known, we have family there, we have friends there," said Mrs Nash.

But increasing concerns about gun control and education made the couple question whether they should stay.

The election of Mr Trump sealed their decision.

There were than 7000 registrations from American citizens interested in moving to New Zealand in a 24-hour period the day after the election.

At the time, Immigration New Zealand said it normally received about 3000 registrations a month.

The Nashs had never visited but were determined to give it a go. "We started doing some research into New Zealand and it's a world beater in a lot of the categories that we care about and that people in general care about," Mr Nash said.

"It's God's own, it's that wonderful here."

And they said even a Democrat win in 2020, would not tempt them to go back.

People hold signs during the March for Our Lives rally for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students in March 2018 in Seattle, Washington.

A lack of strong measures to control guns was among factors that prompted a Texan couple to leave the United States. Photo: AFP