Economy, culture, criminality, are all important. I am one of those foreign students in STEM with a advanced degree, and my 3 employers begged me to stay every time I wanted to quit for other jobs. Culturally, I am as American as any average American. I love American politics, have a 12 handicap in golf, and have not even received a traffic ticket in 40 years. My 5 bed room house had better landscaping than most. I have bought only American made cars.
40 years without a traffic ticket? Did you talk them out of it?