Jane-Michelle Arc returned to California after failing to win asylum in the Netherlands and said the move was the dumbest thing she had ever done.
A transgender American who left the United States after President Trump’s reelection has returned home to California after an unsuccessful asylum bid in the Netherlands, calling the move to Europe the dumbest thing she had ever done. Software engineer Jane-Michelle Arc, 48, said life at the Ter Apel refugee camp was far worse than what she had expected to face in the U.S.
Arc had spent months describing the camp in harsh terms, saying the environment felt dangerous and hostile, especially for transgender people. In interviews and posts, Arc pointed to tensions with other asylum seekers and said she feared for personal safety. One of the most cited concerns was the camp’s surroundings, which Dutch officials reportedly treated as a safety risk zone after a series of stabbings and fights.
Arc told the Guardian that leaving the U.S. was a wildly stupid decision. She said people told her she was an idiot for coming from America, and she described the reaction she got when she mentioned living in San Francisco. In another interview with Dutch outlet Pow News last month, Arc said the situation in the United States was not good for a trans person, but argued that she believed she would be hurt or killed in the Netherlands.
The complaints continued in social media posts under the name Max Toegang. Arc described the camp as dire and said she was warned to be careful about where she went and who she spent time with after what she called sideways looks from Muslims. Arc also said it was too dangerous to walk to the grocery store because of the people living in the camp, adding that the yellow vests worn by some people were there because of so many stabbings.
“Jane-Michelle Arc returned to California after failing to win asylum in the Netherlands and said the move was the dumbest thing she had ever done.”
After returning to the United States last month, Arc again posted about the contrast between the two countries. Arc wrote that America felt loud and overwhelming and said everyday costs were high, singling out San Francisco as especially expensive. In a separate post, Arc said the United States felt more comfortable, while still saying that transphobia remained overt.
Arc has said the decision to leave was driven by fear and that the move was not secret. In comments to the Guardian, Arc said the plan was discussed with everyone in her circle, and that people around her did not like the idea but saw no other option. That account sits alongside a larger trend that has put transgender safety and migration in the spotlight since Trump’s reelection.
How many transgender Americans have left the country to seek asylum since then is not known, but a May 2025 report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law said nearly half of transgender adults in the U.S. have relocated or are planning to move to another state. For many Americans, the story underscores how fears about safety, identity, and belonging can push people to make drastic decisions — and how those choices can collide with harsher realities abroad. The takeaway: Arc’s return shows that fears driving people to leave the U.S. are colliding with the cost, danger, and uncertainty of trying to start over elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Jane-Michelle Arc?
Arc is a 48-year-old software engineer who left the United States after President Trump’s reelection and later returned to California.
Why did Arc go to the Netherlands?
Arc sought asylum there, saying she feared for safety as a transgender person in the United States.
What did Arc say about the refugee camp?
Arc described Ter Apel as dangerous and dire, saying it was too risky to walk to the grocery store.
What broader trend does the story touch on?
A May 2025 Williams Institute report said nearly half of transgender adults in the U.S. have relocated or are planning to relocate to another state.
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