Major government research lab appears to be squeezing out foreign scientists

Source: Ars Technica

Overview

One of the US government’s top scientific research labs is taking steps that could drive away foreign scientists, a shift lawmakers and sources tell WIRED could cost the country valuable expertise and damage the agency’s credibility.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) helps determine the frameworks underpinning everything from cybersecurity to semiconductor manufacturing. Recent work includes establishing guidelines for securing AI systems and identifying health concerns with air purifiers and firefighting gloves. Many of the agency’s thousands of employees, post‑doctoral scientists, contractors, and guest researchers are brought in from around the world for their specialized expertise.

Congressional Concerns

“For weeks now, rumors of draconian new measures have been spreading like wildfire, while my staff’s inquiries to NIST have gone unanswered,”
— Zoe Lofgren, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, in a letter to acting NIST Director Craig Burkhardt (see the full letter).

April McClain Delaney, a fellow Democrat on the committee, cosigned the message.

Lofgren wrote that while her staff has heard about multiple rumored changes, unnamed sources confirm that the Trump administration “has begun taking steps to limit the ability of foreign‑born researchers to conduct their work at NIST.”

Reported Policy Changes

• A Boulder Reporting Lab article (Feb 12) reported that international graduate students and post‑doctoral researchers would be limited to a maximum of three years at NIST, despite many needing five to seven years to complete their work.
• A NIST employee (anonymous) told WIRED that plans to bring foreign workers through the agency’s Professional Research and Experience Program have been canceled because of uncertainty about new security protocols. The employee said NIST has not widely communicated the new hurdles or their justification.
• The Colorado Sun reported that “noncitizens” lost after‑hours access to a NIST lab last month and could soon be banned from the facility entirely.

NIST Response

Jennifer Huergo, a spokesperson for NIST, told WIRED that the proposed changes are aimed at protecting US science from theft and abuse, echoing statements issued to other media outlets this week. Huergo declined to comment on who must approve the proposal or when a decision will be made, and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawmakers’ letter.

Broader Context

Preventing foreign adversaries from stealing valuable American intellectual property has been a bipartisan priority. NIST has faced congressional scrutiny over its background checks and security policies. Recently, Republican lawmakers renewed calls to restrict Chinese nationals from working at or with Department of Energy national labs.

Calls for Transparency

Lofgren’s letter contends that the rumored restrictions on non‑US scientists at NIST go beyond “what is reasonable and appropriate to protect research security.” The letter demands:

• Transparency about new policies by Feb 26
• A pause on the policies “until Congress can weigh in on whether these changes are necessary at all.”

Potential Impact on Research Talent

The loss of talent at NIST would add to a series of Trump‑administration policies that tech‑industry leaders warn could dismantle the lives of immigrant researchers and hamper economic growth:

• Hiking fees on H‑1B tech visas
• Revoking thousands of student visas
• Carrying out legally dubious mass deportations
• Plans to limit post‑graduation job training for international students

These measures could push scientists and engineers to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Reactions from Former Leadership

Pat Gallagher, who served as NIST director from 2009 to 2013 under President Obama, warned that the changes could erode trust in the agency, which has long provided the technical foundations that industry and governments worldwide rely on.

“What has made NIST special is it is scientifically credible,” he told WIRED. “Industry, universities, and the global measurement community knew they could work with NIST.”

Recent Turmoil at NIST

Like much of the federal government, NIST has been in turmoil for most of the past year. Parts of the agency were paralyzed for months as rumors of DOGE cuts spread.

Note: The final link above appears truncated in the source material.

Spectroscopy

Ultimately, the agency lost hundreds of its thousands of workers to budget cuts, with further funding pressure to come.

Historical International Collaboration

As of a couple of years ago, NIST welcomed 800 researchers (source) on average annually from outside the US to work in its offices and collaborate directly with staff.

Conclusion

Lofgren expressed fear that rumors alone may be enough to scare away researchers and undermine US competitiveness in vital research.

“Our scientific excellence depends upon attracting the best and brightest from around the world,” she wrote in the letter.

This story originally appeared on Wired.