Urge Action to Address America's Growing Brain Drain Crisis

I am writing to urge you to address the alarming exodus of talent and capital from the United States, a crisis that threatens our economic future and national competitiveness. Recent data reveals a brain drain with potentially catastrophic consequences that demands immediate legislative attention. The numbers are stark. Americans moving abroad in the first quarter of 2025 more than doubled compared to 2024. The UK Home Office reported 2,000 American residency applications in just the first six months of 2025, a record high. A Harris Poll found 4 in 10 Americans interested in leaving for a better life, with over half of millennials and more than 6 in 10 Gen Z members expressing this desire. Most concerning is the scientific and academic exodus. Three-quarters of research scientists at American universities are considering leaving the country. International student enrollment has declined 15 percent, with new international students down 30 to 40 percent this academic year alone, costing our economy an estimated $7 billion. More than half of postdoctoral researchers have been directly impacted by recent federal funding cuts within just six weeks of announcement. Nearly 90 percent of research in the US depends on federal funds, making this instability particularly damaging. Other nations are capitalizing on our loss. France launched the Lafayette Scholarship to recruit exceptional American students and created a "Safe Place for Science" program that welcomed eight American scientists as the first "scientific refugees" in July 2025. Three decorated Yale professors specializing in fascism and authoritarian regimes relocated to Toronto University. Even Chinese institutions are recruiting American researchers. The economic impact extends beyond academia. Retirees' spending alone fuels $1.5 trillion in annual economic output, supporting 7.1 million jobs and generating over $224 million in tax revenue. If retirees spend pension income abroad, this economic footprint vanishes. High net worth individuals are increasingly pursuing golden visas as insurance policies against being trapped domestically. I urge you to champion policies that restore scientific funding stability, protect academic freedom, and address the safety and healthcare concerns driving families like that of Alyssa Bolaños, a former immigration worker who relocated her young family to Uruguay, away from our country. America's strength has always been its ability to attract and retain the world's best talent. We are squandering that advantage.