They moved to Dubai in pursuit of the expat dream. They're not giving it up so easily.

A woman rides a bicycle along the beach in Dubai's Jumeirah area on March 2, 2026.

Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images

• Dubai has spent more than two decades marketing itself as a safe haven for expats.
• The sudden escalation in the Middle East has left some questioning their long-term plans.
• Others say they have no plans to walk away from the life they have built in the UAE.

The thought of leaving Dubai fills Kiran Ali with dread.

Ali, a Washington, DC...