A US national has reportedly applied for asylum while on holiday in Spain under the premise that he will face persecution by the Trump administration over his political beliefs.
The 34-year-old man, who is on holiday in Mallorca, claims to have a “genuine fear” of the policies of US President Donald Trump’s administration and says he expects possible reprisals for his political positions.
This is the first time a US national has sought political asylum in the Balearic Islands, according to reports in the Spanish media.
Mallorcan daily Última Hora reported that the man, named only in the media by the initials N.F.M., went to a police station accompanied by a local lawyer representing him and explained that he lives in Florida and has witnessed the alleged excesses of ICE, the controversial US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
The asylum claim is reportedly based on fears of reprisals in his country due to his democratic convictions and his staunch opposition to ICE. He also reports that those close to him have observed hostile behaviour against foreigners in the country.
In his statement, the American expressed his intention to live and work in Mallorca, praising the “climate of freedom” in Spain in contrast to the direction in which his homeland, in his view, is heading.
N.F.M. insisted that he has “real fear” of what might happen to him if he returns to his country after his time in Mallorca, because, he said, Trump “is very dangerous and I do not share his values”.
He reportedly arrived in Mallorca three weeks ago for a holiday with his family.
His father owns a house in the Valencia region and the man maintains that he wants to live and work in Mallorca because of the atmosphere of political freedom that prevails there.
He also referred to the Spanish government’s progressive stance against the war in Iran, initiated by Trump alongside Israel and which he described as "illegal".
The American national studied and lived in France for twelve years.
His application has been forwarded to the national police so that the relevant administrative proceedings can begin.
The case will now be considered by Spain's Immigration authorities, who must determine whether the political situation in the US justifies granting international protection to one of its citizens.
Sources consulted indicated that applying for political asylum from a democratic country such as the US is complex and requires proof of actual persecution, something that can often be difficult to substantiate.
A total of 15,638 US nationals received residency in Spain in 2025, representing the highest number of Americans who have become residents in Spain in one year.
The latest stats show just under 50,000 US nationals live in Spain, most of them requiring visas such as the non-lucrative visa or the digital nomad visa, given their status as non-EU nationals.
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