By Jenny Brundin
Salt Lake City, UT – For some, the greatest challenge facing the country is not people crossing the border illegally to work in the United States. Quite the contrary. It's the huge numbers of foreign scientists and professionals leaving the United States for opportunities elsewhere. Some economists are warning that the trend could be the greatest economic challenge since the dawn of the industrial revolution. That's because the economic spin-offs resulting from their scientific and technological innovations are huge. One reason for the foreign flight is the tougher immigration rules post 9-11.
Tomorrow, the University of Utah is hosting a conference on the effect immigration policy is having on scientific innovation in Utah and the U.S. We'll hear now from Pam Perlich - a Senior Research Economist at the University of Utah and Lorina Tester. She coordinates the U's Nonresident Alien Employment.