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The article is in French, but easily auto-translated (and it's the best non-biased source I found). > "I learned with concern that a French researcher" on assi

The article is in French, but easily auto-translated (and it's the best non-biased source I found). > "I learned with concern that a French researcher" on assignment for the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) "who was traveling to a conference near Houston was denied entry to the United States before being expelled ," said the Minister of Higher Education and Research, Philippe Baptiste, in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP). "This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher's phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy ," he added. At some point we're going to have to debate where to run "western" scientific conferences. I can see Europe/Canada and US/Russia blocs emerging, I'm curious with whom other countries will align.

cge 2y ago
Is there any source that describes the messages in question in more detail?
- UncleEntity 2y ago
  It's wrongthink, dude, details don't matter.
  - ack_inc 2y ago
    Sarcasm?
    - DrNosferatu 2y ago
      In the same vein: it's outright bizarre that the HN community in general has a lot of difficulty handling sarcasm and irony, proceeding to knee-jerkingly downvote. I'm confused: after all, on which bank of the Seine are the snowflakes?
- EA-3167 2y ago
  The original French source says https://i.imgur.com/qR2RobE.png https://i.imgur.com/qR2RobE.png It isn't enough for me to draw a conclusion, but it's enough for me to question this story which so far has only one side represented. If this comes down to the academic in question making social media posts that tripped FBI/Secret Service's "talking about killing the POTUS" or something similar, then yeah that's going to potentially raise flags at the border. The rules don't change along with the president after all, just like people doing the same thing with Biden or Obama would have raised flags, this would too. To be sure we'll have to wait and see the messages that are the focus of concern. What bothers me is that so many here are simply running with the headline and turning off their critical thinking because they (understandably) hate Trump's guts.
  - cge 2y ago
    My question came after reading that as well: I have to wonder whether this was a sort of Galois-style statement open to an interpretation of incitement of violence, or whether it simply a statement of Trump's actions being horrible for research. Neither case (of refusing entry) would be good, but the former would be more understandable than the latter.
    - acdha 2y ago
      I do wish we’d have better sources since there could be a range of jokes about the two shooters during the campaign which could get close to a plausible threat, but the fact that they just shipped him home makes that seem less likely. If you thought he was Carlos the Jackal you’d probably at least hold him long enough to investigate his travel plans and contacts more.
    - mdp2021 2y ago
      What do you mean «Neither case would be good»? Not clear. Example: Gary Marcus wrote six weeks ago, «single-minded obsession with cutting costs is going to cripple science and American universities, with horrific lasting consequences» - that falls into your «...actions being horrible for research», but how does it fit with your statement of a "good case".
- mdp2021 2y ago
  Newsweek, Scientist Banned From Entering US Over Opinions About Trump - Minister https://www.newsweek.com/french-scientist-banned-us-entry-messages-trump-2047549 https://www.newsweek.com/french-scientist-banned-us-entry-me... > The arrest continues a reported trend of temporary visa holders and visitors being detained by U.S. border officials on their way into the country amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration and concerns that free speech is no longer a defense when it comes to legal immigration status. // [...] U.S. authorities saw these messages as "hate and conspiracy messages," which prompted an FBI investigation that was later dropped. However, the researcher was sent back to France. // CBP's move to deny entry to a foreign national seemingly solely based on their opinion of the president, rather than necessarily expressing ill will or intentions to harm him, comes amid increased scrutiny of those entering the country. // Legal permanent residents, along with those on work-based visas, have been questioned, detained and even removed from the country in recent weeks, including two German tourists and a Canadian woman trying to renew her visa at the southwest border. // Immigration attorneys have begun advising clients to ensure their social media profiles are free of criticism of the administration and images that could be seen as inappropriate or in support of ideas that do not fit with current U.S. foreign policy.
  - cge 2y ago
    That seems to just give the same information as the French source: that it was a personal opinion.
Wumpnot 2y ago
[flagged]
Grimblewald 2y ago
even before this, no one in my research group and from what I can tell broader related departments has any wish to go to the USA. We're all looking for alternatives. This includes a broad range of people from statistics/ML, to chemistry, to computer science folks.
- kccqzy 2y ago
  Yeah I even see a lot of people within the U.S. refusing to travel to red states like Texas due to transgender rights or other non-progressive state laws.
  - Grimblewald 2y ago
    Can't say I blame them, it is a matter of self preservation for them.
briandear 2y ago
Was the scientist telling the truth? How do we know?

cge 2y ago

Is there any source that describes the messages in question in more detail?

UncleEntity 2y ago
It's wrongthink, dude, details don't matter.
- ack_inc 2y ago
  Sarcasm?
  - DrNosferatu 2y ago
    In the same vein: it's outright bizarre that the HN community in general has a lot of difficulty handling sarcasm and irony, proceeding to knee-jerkingly downvote. I'm confused: after all, on which bank of the Seine are the snowflakes?
EA-3167 2y ago
The original French source says https://i.imgur.com/qR2RobE.png https://i.imgur.com/qR2RobE.png It isn't enough for me to draw a conclusion, but it's enough for me to question this story which so far has only one side represented. If this comes down to the academic in question making social media posts that tripped FBI/Secret Service's "talking about killing the POTUS" or something similar, then yeah that's going to potentially raise flags at the border. The rules don't change along with the president after all, just like people doing the same thing with Biden or Obama would have raised flags, this would too. To be sure we'll have to wait and see the messages that are the focus of concern. What bothers me is that so many here are simply running with the headline and turning off their critical thinking because they (understandably) hate Trump's guts.
- cge 2y ago
  My question came after reading that as well: I have to wonder whether this was a sort of Galois-style statement open to an interpretation of incitement of violence, or whether it simply a statement of Trump's actions being horrible for research. Neither case (of refusing entry) would be good, but the former would be more understandable than the latter.
  - acdha 2y ago
    I do wish we’d have better sources since there could be a range of jokes about the two shooters during the campaign which could get close to a plausible threat, but the fact that they just shipped him home makes that seem less likely. If you thought he was Carlos the Jackal you’d probably at least hold him long enough to investigate his travel plans and contacts more.
  - mdp2021 2y ago
    What do you mean «Neither case would be good»? Not clear. Example: Gary Marcus wrote six weeks ago, «single-minded obsession with cutting costs is going to cripple science and American universities, with horrific lasting consequences» - that falls into your «...actions being horrible for research», but how does it fit with your statement of a "good case".
mdp2021 2y ago
Newsweek, Scientist Banned From Entering US Over Opinions About Trump - Minister https://www.newsweek.com/french-scientist-banned-us-entry-messages-trump-2047549 https://www.newsweek.com/french-scientist-banned-us-entry-me... > The arrest continues a reported trend of temporary visa holders and visitors being detained by U.S. border officials on their way into the country amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration and concerns that free speech is no longer a defense when it comes to legal immigration status. // [...] U.S. authorities saw these messages as "hate and conspiracy messages," which prompted an FBI investigation that was later dropped. However, the researcher was sent back to France. // CBP's move to deny entry to a foreign national seemingly solely based on their opinion of the president, rather than necessarily expressing ill will or intentions to harm him, comes amid increased scrutiny of those entering the country. // Legal permanent residents, along with those on work-based visas, have been questioned, detained and even removed from the country in recent weeks, including two German tourists and a Canadian woman trying to renew her visa at the southwest border. // Immigration attorneys have begun advising clients to ensure their social media profiles are free of criticism of the administration and images that could be seen as inappropriate or in support of ideas that do not fit with current U.S. foreign policy.
- cge 2y ago
  That seems to just give the same information as the French source: that it was a personal opinion.

Wumpnot 2y ago

[flagged]

Grimblewald 2y ago

even before this, no one in my research group and from what I can tell broader related departments has any wish to go to the USA. We're all looking for alternatives. This includes a broad range of people from statistics/ML, to chemistry, to computer science folks.

kccqzy 2y ago
Yeah I even see a lot of people within the U.S. refusing to travel to red states like Texas due to transgender rights or other non-progressive state laws.
- Grimblewald 2y ago
  Can't say I blame them, it is a matter of self preservation for them.

briandear 2y ago

Was the scientist telling the truth? How do we know?