President Biden has made much of his intent to “follow the science,” but an unintended consequence of what appears to be a hasty decision on immigration policy could render U.S. science subpar, slow and uncompetitive, not only on COVID, but on a host of fronts with potentially serious impacts for U.S. competitiveness and leadership for years to come. On Aug. 3, more than a thousand foreign postdoctoral research assistants — known as “postdocs” — who are affiliated with academic and non-academic institutions in the United States posted an open letter to the U.S. government asking for an exception to President Biden’s Jan. 25 COVID-19 travel restriction proclamation because it is making it difficult for them to enter the United States with their J-1 student visas or their H-1B Specialty Occupation visas.
Nolan Rappaport, The Hill, August 30, 2021
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