Newly released federal data show that nationals from China, Iran, and Russia made nearly 30,000 visits to U.S. government research facilities during the Biden administration, raising concerns among lawmakers about national security and intellectual property protection, the New York Post reports.
Between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2024, 28,028 Chinese nationals, 304 Iranians, and 1,608 Russians accessed laboratories operated by the Department of Energy (DOE), according to figures obtained by the office of Senator Joni Ernst (R–Iowa), the outlet reports. The visits occurred under the Unclassified Foreign National Access Program, which permits limited access by foreign researchers following security and counterintelligence reviews.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, in a letter to Senator Ernst, stated that all foreign visitors undergo “intelligence indices checks,” with additional screening procedures conducted when warranted by the nature of the facility, the length of stay, or the sensitivity of the research involved. He added that Iranian citizens are subject to enhanced reviews due to Iran’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
The Department of Energy oversees 17 federally funded laboratories that support a wide range of scientific research related to energy, national security, and advanced technology. According to DOE records, foreign nationals were granted access lasting from a few hours to several months, with some receiving remote access privileges.
Senator Ernst criticized the administration’s approach, arguing that allowing citizens from adversarial nations into sensitive research environments poses security risks. “While Iran’s regime chanted ‘Death to America,’ the Biden administration rolled out the red carpet for Iranian foreign nationals to enter our National Labs,” Ernst said in a statement to The New York Post. “They also gave entry to thousands of Chinese nationals and hundreds of Russians, who could then access and potentially steal American research.”
Ernst began requesting information on foreign national visits to DOE facilities in 2024 after the Senate Intelligence Committee reported that approximately 40,000 foreign nationals—including more than 8,000 from China and Russia—had been granted access to U.S. laboratories or research information during fiscal year 2023. Her initial request to the Biden administration did not receive a response, so the senator followed up with the Trump administration.
Wright affirmed that the Energy Department remains “steadfast in its mission to protect our national security, economic competitiveness, and scientific leadership.”Nonetheless, some analysts have expressed concern that existing safeguards may not be sufficient. Independent studies have estimated that Chinese espionage efforts cost the U.S. economy as much as $600 billion annually in stolen intellectual property, The Post reports.
Senator Ernst has introduced several legislative measures designed to limit foreign influence in U.S. research programs. Her 2022 bill sought to prevent Chinese and Russian companies from exploiting federal small-business innovation programs to gain access to sensitive technology. She also supported legislation restricting federal research funding from reaching adversarial nations.
Ernst declared, “As our adversaries seek any potential advantage over us, we cannot give them a single foothold to undermine the United States of America.”