USDA Scientists Ordered to Investigate Foreign Researchers
ProPublica • • world
Key Points:
- The Trump administration has directed USDA employees to investigate foreign scientists collaborating on research papers for potential "subversive or criminal activity," requiring background checks via Google and reporting flagged individuals to national security experts.
- USDA staff expressed discomfort and concern over the policy, describing it as "dystopic" and fearing it could target foreign scientists, particularly vulnerable students and postdocs on temporary visas.
- The policy prohibits collaboration with researchers from "countries of concern" such as China, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela, but also involves vetting scientists from allied nations, with names shared with the USDA Office of Homeland Security.
- Critics, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, warn the directive resembles McCarthyism and authoritarianism, potentially discouraging international scientific collaboration
 { path { fill: %23EEEFE9 } })