A French scientist was not allowed to enter the United States after immigration officers searched his phone and found messages criticizing the Trump administration. This was reported by Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister of higher education and research.
Baptiste said the scientist was travelling to a conference near Houston when US authorities stopped him. According to the minister, the decision to deny him entry was based on personal messages discussing the Trump administration’s policies on research.
“Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values we will continue to uphold,” Baptiste stated. He also emphasized that he would support French researchers in expressing their views while following legal requirements.
A diplomatic source said the incident happened on March 9. The scientist worked with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). US officials reportedly accused him of making hateful and conspiratorial statements about Trump. He was also informed of an FBI investigation, though charges were later dropped before he was expelled from the country.
On the same day, Minister Baptiste published a letter inviting American researchers to relocate to France, citing concerns over US research policies. He later criticized funding cuts in key scientific areas, such as health, climate, energy, and artificial intelligence.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated that all travellers entering the country undergo inspections. A CBP spokesperson said electronic device searches are sometimes necessary to determine a person’s eligibility to enter the US. The agency denied any political motivation behind the decision.
It is not confirmed which conference the scientist came to attend, but the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference occurred near Houston from March 10 to 14.
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