There are currently secessionist movements active in 12 U.S. states campaigning either for full independence, to form a new state or to merge with an existing state, according to one self-styled "self-determination advocate."
Grant Dahl, co-host of the Secession Speakeasy podcast, made the claim in an article published by the Texas Nationalist Movement, which is campaigning for the Lone Star State to become an independent country. Dahl listed secessionist campaigns that he claimed were active in part or all of Oregon, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Louisiana, California, Washington, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania.
Intense political divisions within the United States, including the 2020 presidential election, have sparked a wave of debate over whether the country can or indeed should hold together as one sovereign political entity. In February 2023, House Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene sparked widespread discussion when she called for a "national divorce" that would see the U.S. "separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government."
In his article "The Era of Secession," Dahl argued that there is growing interest in secessionist movements as "ruling classes stiffly the traditional avenues of political change, namely elections and electoral opposition." Dahl proceeded to list separatist movements worldwide, including 12 he claimed are currently active in the U.S.
The first group is the "Greater Idaho" project, which seeks to separate the more rural and conservative counties of eastern and central Oregon from liberal-leaning cities like Portland and Salem and merge them into Republican-controlled Idaho. According to the Greater Idaho Movement, voters in 13 separate Oregon counties have endorsed the proposal.
Further east, the "Illinois Separation Referendum" campaign is pushing for a referendum on separating the liberal-leaning Cook County, which includes Chicago, from the rest of the state. The campaign has 2,400 followers on its official Facebook page and says it is for those who "no longer consent to being governed by the Cook County-dominated legislature."
According to Dahl, the Illinois Separation Referendum campaign wants to hold a convention to discuss whether Illinois minus Cook County should form its own state or seek to join neighboring Missouri or Kentucky.
Texan nationalists, organized around the TNM, have scored a series of victories in recent months amid ongoing tensions between local authorities and the federal government. In May, the Republican Party of Texas elected supporters of a referendum on Texan independence as its new chair and vice chair, and the following month, it included an independence referendum call in its 2024 Legislative Priorities and Platform document.
Dahl also said there are activists in New Mexico and southeastern Colorado who are pushing for each area to consider leaving the U.S. and joining Texas should it become independent.
In July, veteran campaigner Carla Gericke launched the NHEXIT Now movement, which is pushing for New Hampshire to become an independent country.
On its official website, the group said it is "dedicated to securing a sovereign and independent New Hampshire, championing the principles of self-determination, liberty and the preservation of our state's unique heritage and values." According to Dahl, New Hampshire separatists are working in alliance with the Texas Nationalist Movement.
In January, Republican Representative Jason Gerhard introduced legislation to the New Hampshire House requiring the state to declare independence should the U.S. national debt surpass $40 trillion, though this was later voted down.
July also saw the launch of the "Free Louisiana" campaign, which wants Louisiana to leave the U.S. and become independent either on its own or as part of a "federation of mid-American states."
Speaking to Newsweek, a Free Louisiana spokesperson said: "Washington, D.C., doesn't care about Louisiana and doesn't protect us from immigration and criminals and our other problems."
Dahl said there are "at least five different secessionist movements" in California that want to either "split up the state" or "take it out of the United States."
Further north, Dahl cites a movement in Washington State that is calling for the more conservative-leaning eastern parts of the territory to break away and create a new state called "Liberty." Separately, the writer noted that the East Dakota Secession Movement is campaigning for 13 eastern counties of Minnesota to become their own state in response to what they claim is "the central authorities of Minnesota" trampling "on our constitutional rights."
Dahl wrote that there is also a movement seeking to create a new county in southwestern Pennsylvania and that some activists want Long Island to break away from New York and become a state in its own right.
Grant Dahl, co-host of the Secession Speakeasy podcast, made the claim in an article published by the Texas Nationalist Movement, which is campaigning for the Lone Star State to become an independent country. Dahl listed secessionist campaigns that he claimed were active in part or all of Oregon, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Louisiana, California, Washington, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania.
Intense political divisions within the United States, including the 2020 presidential election, have sparked a wave of debate over whether the country can or indeed should hold together as one sovereign political entity. In February 2023, House Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene sparked widespread discussion when she called for a "national divorce" that would see the U.S. "separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government."
In his article "The Era of Secession," Dahl argued that there is growing interest in secessionist movements as "ruling classes stiffly the traditional avenues of political change, namely elections and electoral opposition." Dahl proceeded to list separatist movements worldwide, including 12 he claimed are currently active in the U.S.
The first group is the "Greater Idaho" project, which seeks to separate the more rural and conservative counties of eastern and central Oregon from liberal-leaning cities like Portland and Salem and merge them into Republican-controlled Idaho. According to the Greater Idaho Movement, voters in 13 separate Oregon counties have endorsed the proposal.
Further east, the "Illinois Separation Referendum" campaign is pushing for a referendum on separating the liberal-leaning Cook County, which includes Chicago, from the rest of the state. The campaign has 2,400 followers on its official Facebook page and says it is for those who "no longer consent to being governed by the Cook County-dominated legislature."
According to Dahl, the Illinois Separation Referendum campaign wants to hold a convention to discuss whether Illinois minus Cook County should form its own state or seek to join neighboring Missouri or Kentucky.
Texan nationalists, organized around the TNM, have scored a series of victories in recent months amid ongoing tensions between local authorities and the federal government. In May, the Republican Party of Texas elected supporters of a referendum on Texan independence as its new chair and vice chair, and the following month, it included an independence referendum call in its 2024 Legislative Priorities and Platform document.
Dahl also said there are activists in New Mexico and southeastern Colorado who are pushing for each area to consider leaving the U.S. and joining Texas should it become independent.
In July, veteran campaigner Carla Gericke launched the NHEXIT Now movement, which is pushing for New Hampshire to become an independent country.
On its official website, the group said it is "dedicated to securing a sovereign and independent New Hampshire, championing the principles of self-determination, liberty and the preservation of our state's unique heritage and values." According to Dahl, New Hampshire separatists are working in alliance with the Texas Nationalist Movement.
In January, Republican Representative Jason Gerhard introduced legislation to the New Hampshire House requiring the state to declare independence should the U.S. national debt surpass $40 trillion, though this was later voted down.
July also saw the launch of the "Free Louisiana" campaign, which wants Louisiana to leave the U.S. and become independent either on its own or as part of a "federation of mid-American states."
Speaking to Newsweek, a Free Louisiana spokesperson said: "Washington, D.C., doesn't care about Louisiana and doesn't protect us from immigration and criminals and our other problems."
Dahl said there are "at least five different secessionist movements" in California that want to either "split up the state" or "take it out of the United States."
Further north, Dahl cites a movement in Washington State that is calling for the more conservative-leaning eastern parts of the territory to break away and create a new state called "Liberty." Separately, the writer noted that the East Dakota Secession Movement is campaigning for 13 eastern counties of Minnesota to become their own state in response to what they claim is "the central authorities of Minnesota" trampling "on our constitutional rights."
Dahl wrote that there is also a movement seeking to create a new county in southwestern Pennsylvania and that some activists want Long Island to break away from New York and become a state in its own right.
