Vital university researchers in Chicago facing uncertainty over required special visas, work permits

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Since the start of President Donald Trump's second term, university researchers and scientists tell the ABC7 I-Team it has been a non-stop roller coaster for those who require visas to work in labs at leading Chicago institutions.

There have been stops, starts and ongoing legal battles to keep scientists working in the city and beyond.

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"Absolutely scary. It's a situation of like you're in this legal limbo, there's so much uncertainty, and also, as a result, there is a culture of fear, especially in speaking out," said Steven Baksa, Ph.D., Northwestern University Graduate Workers Union.

In crucial research labs at Northwestern University, post-doctoral scholars are working to cure illnesses and make breakthrough discoveries. They tell the I-Team science is in jeopardy because of Trump administration policies that paused the renewal of work authorization forms for many international scholars.

"This is bad for American science in general," Caleb Smith, Ph.D., told the I-Team. "These postdocs are the backbone of NU research. They do the experiments, they get the grants, they bring in $700 million a year in funding. So, they're essential to the success of the university."

Caleb Smith and Steven Baksa are part of the Northwestern University Graduate Workers union representing 1200 people, the majority of whom are from outside the U.S. They say if work authorization forms lapse, labs may be forced to shut down.

"They're people working on cures for serious diseases...and a lot of them have kids and are raising families, and they need stability, so for all these reasons that we think this isn't fair," said Smith.

In June, a federal judge ruled the Trump administration pause in processing was unlawful, but there is still no way to expedite the process for those close to the cutoff. Universities are at the mercy of federal policies.

"The research that you want to do, it makes it so much more difficult, and then just the constant anxiety, like living with that anxiety, is takes a toll on a person," said Edward Arnold, Ph.D., Northwestern University Graduate Workers Union.

The union says it will continue to contact local federal elected officials on behalf of its members.