US adversaries made nearly 30K visits to sensitive labs under Biden admin, bombshell data show
Citizens of China, Iran, and Russia made nearly 30,000 visits to sensitive U.S. research facilities during the Biden administration, according to new data.
Between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2024, 28,028 Chinese nationals, 304 Iranians, and 1,608 Russians visited laboratories run by the Department of Energy (DOE), according to information provided by the office of Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
“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 told The Post. “They also allowed entry to thousands of Chinese nationals and hundreds of Russians, who could then access and potentially steal American research.”
Visits ranged in duration from a few hours to several months, with some participants granted remote access. Under the DOE’s Unclassified Foreign National Access Program, foreign nationals from adversarial countries must undergo counterintelligence assessments.
“This process includes, at a minimum, the completion of intelligence indices checks, with additional local counterintelligence vetting conducted when dictated by factors such as the facility being visited, the duration of the visit, and the science and technology involved,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright wrote to Ernst.
“Due to Iran’s status as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, all Iranian citizens undergo enhanced counterintelligence review prior to access approval as required by DOE regulations,” he added.
Ernst originally requested data on foreign adversary visits to U.S. labs in 2024, citing a Senate Intelligence Committee report that found “approximately 40,000 citizens of foreign countries, including more than 8,000 citizens from China and Russia, were granted access to … premises, information, or technology” in fiscal year 2023, according to the DOE’s Foreign Access Central Tracking System (FACTS).
The Energy Department oversees 17 federally funded laboratories across the United States.
“After COVID-19, we should have learned our lesson about trusting Communist China’s scientists,” Ernst said. “We know our adversaries run sophisticated espionage programs to steal research; we do not need to invite them in.”
When her initial inquiry to the Biden administration went unanswered, Ernst followed up with the Trump administration last year.
“The Department of Energy remains steadfast in its mission to protect our national security, economic competitiveness, and scientific leadership,” Wright emphasized.
Some estimates suggest Chinese espionage costs the U.S. roughly $600 billion annually in intellectual property theft. Ernst has previously proposed legislation to protect American trade secrets, including a 2022 bill aimed at preventing Chinese and Russian firms from obtaining sensitive technology through Small Business Administration programs.
The retiring senator also supported measures to block research funding from going to adversarial nations. “As our adversaries seek any potential advantage over us, we cannot give them a single foothold to undermine the United States of America,” she said. “We need to know exactly how this was allowed to happen, what our adversaries learned or obtained, and make sure we establish stronger safeguards.”
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