For two centuries, America absorbed Ireland’s exiles. Now, in a neat twist of history, increasing numbers of Americans are looking the other way. After Donald Trump’s return to the White House, applications for Irish passports from the US have surged to decade-high levels. In 2024 alone, Americans filed more than 31,800 Irish passport applications; entries on the foreign births register jumped by half to 11,600. Immigration firms report 300pc spikes in inquiries whenever US politics turns particularly toxic.