According to Noam Brown, the chief research scientist at OpenAI, Kai Chen, a Canadian AI researcher employed by OpenAI, had his green card application denied after living in the United States for 12 years. In a post on the X platform, Brown stated that Chen learned of the decision on Friday and must leave the country soon.
"One of the best AI researchers I've ever worked with has been denied a U.S. green card, which is deeply concerning," wrote Brown. "A Canadian who has lived here and contributed for 12 years now has to leave. When we turn away such talent, we risk losing America's leadership in AI."
Dylan Hunn, another OpenAI employee, highlighted in a post that Chen plays a critical role in GPT-4.5, OpenAI’s flagship AI model.
A green card can be denied for various reasons, but this decision won’t cost Chen his job. In a follow-up post, Brown mentioned that Chen plans to work remotely from an Airbnb in Vancouver "until this issue hopefully gets resolved." Nevertheless, this case reflects yet another instance of foreign talents facing high barriers under the Trump administration.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, in a July 2023 post on the X platform, CEO Sam Altman called for reforms to make it easier for "high-skilled" immigrants to relocate and work in the United States.
In recent months, over 1,700 international students in the U.S., including AI researchers who have lived in the country for years, have faced challenges to their visa statuses amid an aggressive crackdown. While the government accused some of supporting Palestinian militant organizations or engaging in "anti-Semitic" activities, others were targeted for minor legal infractions like speeding tickets or other traffic violations.
At the same time, the Trump administration has adopted a skeptical stance toward many green card applicants, reportedly suspending processing of lawful permanent residence applications filed by immigrants granted refugee or asylum status. It also took a hard line against green card holders deemed "national security" threats, detaining and threatening to deport several individuals.
AI labs like OpenAI heavily rely on foreign research talent. According to Shaun Ralston, a contractor supporting OpenAI’s API clients, OpenAI submitted over 80 H1-B visa applications last year alone and has sponsored more than 100 visas since 2022.
The H1-B visa, favored by the tech industry, allows U.S. companies to temporarily hire foreign workers in "specialty occupations" that require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Recently, immigration officials began issuing "Requests for Evidence" for H-1B and other employment-based immigration petitions, demanding home addresses and biometric information—a change that has raised concerns among experts about potential increases in denials.
Immigrants have played a significant role in driving growth within the U.S. AI sector.
According to a study by Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology, 66% of the 50 "most promising" U.S.-based AI startups listed on Forbes’ 2019 "AI 50" were founded by immigrants. An analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy in 2023 found that 70% of full-time graduate students in AI-related fields are international students.
Ashish Vaswani, who moved to the U.S. in the early 2000s to study computer science, co-created the groundbreaking transformer AI model architecture, which powers chatbots like ChatGPT. Wojciech Zaremba, one of OpenAI's co-founders, earned his AI Ph.D. at NYU on a student visa.
America’s immigration policies, funding cuts, and hostility toward certain sciences have prompted many researchers to consider leaving the country. In response to a survey conducted by Nature of over 1,600 scientists, 75% said they are considering working abroad.
