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- Title
Scientists and immunity to immigration.
- Abstract
Tighter visa restrictions implemented by the US government in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack have alarmed the scientific community. The National Academy of Sciences in December 2002 noted that the new immigration procedures have delayed or prevented the entry of distinguished scientists into the U.S., including those invited to speak at major conferences and teach in U.S. universities. The stricter visa regulations also delayed thousands of students from starting or resuming their studies. Although no one will dispute the need for tighter homeland security measures, especially given that some of the terrorists had been issued student visas, the long-term side effects on science of the new immigration rules are unacceptable. Repercussions of the U.S. government's "secure borders, open doors" policy affect scientific progress and the U.S. economy. International students made up 36% of all graduate enrollments in science and engineering in 2000 and were deemed vital for conducting federally funded research. By 2002, Crookston, Minnesota-based University of Minnesota had already experienced a drop of 21% in its international student population. And in an age when some of the best science is borne of international collaborations, Human Frontier Science Program, which funds international collaborations between biologists, has reported a drop in the percentage of fellowship applications to work in the U.S. from 75% in 2001 to 55% in 2002.
- Subjects
UNITED States; VISAS; GOVERNMENT policy; SEPTEMBER 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001; COUNTERTERRORISM
- Publication
Nature Immunology, 2003, Vol 4, Issue 10, p929
- ISSN
1529-2908
- Publication type
Editorial
- DOI
10.1038/ni1003-929