Peer pressure: 60 science groups call for end to Washington’s crackdown on foreign-born researchers
- While not naming China, groups’ letter to Trump administration officials addresses campaign that has targeted Chinese scientists in the US
- The organisations acknowledge national security concerns but seek a ‘balanced approach that enables continued scientific collaborations’
Several dozen prestigious scientific organisations have joined forces in urging the Trump administration to stop impeding foreign-born scientists and undermining global collaboration vital to US and international innovation.
In a letter to top science policy officials, 60 eminent groups – including such powerhouses as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Federation of American Scientists – called for a better balance between national security concerns and scientific inquiry. Collectively, the groups represent hundreds of thousands of scientists, engineers and educators worldwide.
“While we must be vigilant to safeguard research, we must also ensure that the US remains a desirable and welcoming destination for researchers from around the world,” the three-page letter said. “Finding the appropriate balance between our nation’s security and an open, collaborative scientific environment requires focus and due diligence.”
The Trump administration has ramped up pressure on the scientific community, particularly foreign-born scientists, amid growing fears over China’s outsize economic ambitions and espionage activities, with a focus on Beijing’s Thousand Talents Programme.
This state-run initiative was launched in 2008 to recruit leading international experts in scientific research, innovation and entrepreneurship; Beijing has reportedly used it to gain prepublication access to sensitive research and attract top teaching and research talent to China.
Scientists say that national security abuses need to be addressed and plugged. But impeding the free flow of information, particularly involving basic science, risks undercutting the very economic and strategic objectives that Washington hopes to achieve to stay ahead of China, they add.