A French scientist was denied entry into the United States this month due to an opinion he expressed about the Trump administration’s policies on academic research, according to the French government. Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister for higher education and research, expressed concern over this incident. He emphasized that freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values that France will continue to uphold and defend for all French researchers, in compliance with the law, regardless of their location. Mr. Baptiste, however, did not disclose the identity of the scientist involved, who works for France’s National Center for Scientific Research. He was en route to a conference near Houston when he was stopped by border officials.
The U.S. authorities reportedly denied entry to the scientist and deported him because his phone contained messages expressing his “personal opinion” on the Trump administration’s science policies. The reasons behind the authorities’ decision to inspect the scientist’s phone and what they found objectionable remains unclear. Customs officers in the U.S. have the authority to search electronic devices of travelers crossing the border, although such instances are rare. In 2024, less than 0.01 percent of arriving international travelers had their electronic devices searched, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Mr. Baptiste’s office and the National Center for Scientific Research did not provide further details about the case, and a spokesman for the American Embassy in Paris declined to comment. This incident follows a series of vocal denouncements by Mr. Baptiste against threats to academic freedom in the United States. Funding cuts and layoffs by the Trump administration have targeted institutions of higher education, scientific research, and the federal government’s own scientific work force. Mr. Baptiste has also urged French universities and research institutes to welcome researchers fleeing the United States, highlighting the need for Europe to protect research and welcome talent that can contribute to its success.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/world/europe/us-france-scientist-entry-trump-messages.html
