The U.S. Immigration and Customs Service [hereinafter ICE] is the country's second largest law enforcement agency behind the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The agency has been on a seemingly perpetual 'high alert' since at least 2001 (at which point the agency came under the jurisdiction of the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security) and is likely to remain on edge for a while, since the last act of terrorism to have struck a major metropolitan area (Boston).

Aside from this pressing concern, both ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are tasked with keeping contraband shipments of drugs and weaponry out of the country, a task which requires them to man both the world's longest undefended border to the north, and the 3,200 km of Mexican border to the south.   more ...

Weather-related news from the U.S. has recently been generating more column space than usual, thanks to events of an unprecedented kind. When Hurricane Sandy made landfall upon the northeastern states, much of the world was treated to the bizarre spectacle of seeing New York City's subway rail system and major thoroughfares flooded, with hundreds of thousands of metropolitan residents left without power.

Events such as these would justifiably make any prospective U.S. expat resident wonder if there are any completely safe areas in the country, where inclement weather is concerned. The 21st century is indeed shaping up to be an odd one for meteorological phenomena - and whether or not this owes itself to man made global warming is a fiery debate for another day - yet there are still areas of the country that are relatively free from nature's fiercest lashings.   more ...

The U.S. 'Bible Belt', that vast landmass stretching from Texas to Florida on the east-west axis and going as far north as the states of Missouri and Virginia, is an area typified by its social conservatism and Protestant piety. The term has been a pejorative one since the beginning (claimed as the coinage of notorious literary crank H.L. Mencken), and to this day one is still much more likely to hear the phrase being used by an opponent of this conservative Protestantism than by an actual proponent of it.

Most of us have probably heard the horror stories that give this region its reputation for intolerance, from the cruel political theater of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas to the decades' worth of documentary exposes on the corruption of "tent revival" preachers and "faith healers". The disclaimer to this, as always, is that the American news media's unwritten policy of "if it bleeds, it leads" tends to favor tragic and debate-stoking stories rather than ones highlighting virtuous conduct and maintenance of peace. Yet none of these stories is entirely false, nor is it an exaggeration that the influence of Christian mores on this area stands head and shoulders above that of northern and continental Europe.   more ...

British expats moving to the US must ensure that they have comprehensive health insurance coverage. While the UK benefits from the National Health Service (NHS), medical care in the US is, and always has been, a private business. The cost of treatments if you take a risk without being fully covered, are not recommended. One day in the hospital can easily run up to $4,000, even the simplest of treatments and surgery can rack up bills up to $50,000, and a major illness higher still.

What type of cover do I need?

The insurance cover you need depends fully on your personal circumstances. Factors include which city and state you are moving to, your employer, your family, as well as health questions such as any pre-existing medical conditions, the health of your parents, your habits (e.g. smoking) and how much exercise you do.   more ...

Where you move to in the US very much depends on your personal situation and your preferences; for example, whether you are young and single, have a family or are looking to retire. The states and cities in the US vary dramatically, and your choice of city to reside in will depend on factors such as climate, crime/safety, employment and education. Some states often come up on top for British expats in the US, including California and Florida, largely due to the amount of sunshine there compared to the UK. With a number of factors in mind and overall quality of life, here are ten top cities to consider...

San Francisco

San Fran tends to top the polls for the most famous city in the US for British Expats. Those who visit on holiday tend to fall immediately in love with its charm. San Francisco has a population of 808,854 and is known as the City by the Bay.   more ...