BrainWaves: Our End of Summer Update

👋 Hello again from Brain Drain!

Wow! Where did the summer go? It seems like yesterday, we were having our first Board meeting.

Six months in, and the energy is only building. From livestreams and webinars to expanded support for GRUMs and new volunteer opportunities, we’re turning momentum into real-world impact.

In this issue

Lead Story – Six months of progress, programs, and people power.
Upcoming Events – Weekly neighbors, webinars, and a new news experiment.
Around the Web – Policy shifts, education resources, and a laugh from Maz.
ICYMI – Replay our scam-avoidance webinar plus fresh reads from the blog.
Spark of the Month – This time it could be you—join our mission as a volunteer

Did You Know? Seventy percent of full-time AI graduate students in the U.S. are international- see the stats below!

🗓️ Upcoming Events

Meet Your New Neighbors
Every Monday at 12 PM Eastern, we go live to introduce you to the remarkable people behind Brain Drain. From our team in the U.S. to clients and GRUMs who might just be your next American neighbor, you never know who’ll stop by. Follow us on social media to get notified! 🔔

Pathways Webinar Series
Our popular Pathways to Legal Status series returns next month. Watch your inbox, our social feeds, and website for sign-up details. We’re making registration even easier this time around.

Immigration News Experiment
Stay tuned to our YouTube channel for a new format we’re piloting. Fresh takes on immigration news are coming soon.

🚀 Lead story - Our 6-Month Update

Key Takeaways

In just six months, our team and board have transformed ideas into action. From our kick-off in February until now, we’ve:

• Built free eligibility screening, credential evaluation, and legal strategy support.

• Expanded relocation help with housing, community, and employer connections.

• Launched weekly livestreams and a webinar series to educate and empower.

• Recruited volunteer attorneys, translators, and career advisors to strengthen our team.

• Improved our infrastructure with secure donations, office space, and a stronger web presence.

• Focused on urgent needs in GRUM countries while staying open to talent worldwide.

✈️ We’re Ready to Fly!

The momentum is real. Brain Drain has launched programs that provide legal guidance, community connections, and workforce integration for skilled immigrants ready to rebuild and contribute. With new volunteer networks and expanded translation services, we are scaling support where it’s needed most. Catch the full six-month recap in our presentation and video replay to see the progress in action.

🛜 Around the Web

Read: Starting September 2, 2025, the Trump administration is limiting interview waiver policies, meaning more visa applicants will need to appear in person. Learn what’s changing, who it impacts, and how to prepare in this Visa Lawyer Blog update.

LEARN: The Higher Ed Immigration Portal is a go-to resource on how states and colleges are stepping up for immigrant and refugee students. Explore data, policy updates, and real-world solutions shaping access to education.

WATCH: Maz Jobrani’s 2017 UC Berkeley speech on why immigrants are America’s secret sauce. Still relevant, still hilarious, and worth a watch today.

🔥 In Case You Missed It…

Video Replay - How to Avoid Immigration Scams

Immigration is tough enough without bad actors getting in the way. In this Pathways to Legal Status session, co-founder Manus MacLean shows how to spot scams, verify who is legit, and keep your case organized through bumps like RFEs and NOIDs. 🫢

If you like this video, click the 👍and subscribe - it really helps us out! 😉

Articles from Our Vault

Fresh from our blog, two stories that spotlight the power of immigrant innovation and the risks America faces if talent walks away. We post new insights regularly, so keep following us for the latest.

✨ Spark of the Month - It Could Be You!

Each month we shine a light on someone who inspires us. It could be a client rebuilding, a volunteer giving their all, or a teammate driving the mission. What they share is resilience, vision, and the spark that keeps Brain Drain moving forward.

From ideas to action, we need your spark!

Every movement is powered by people who raise their hands and say, “I can help.” At Brain Drain Unlimited, that help can look like keeping a sharp eye on the conversation through social media listening, sharpening our message with grant writing, or keeping the engine running with executive coordination and day-to-day support.

No matter your skill set, volunteering here means you’ll be part of a team that’s opening doors for skilled immigrants, shaping smarter policy, and changing lives. You don’t need years of experience. What matters is energy, commitment, and the belief that talent belongs everywhere.

👉 Ready to plug in and make a difference?

Did You Know? Seventy percent of full-time AI graduate students in the U.S. are international (Forbes, 2025). Classrooms are full, but green cards are empty.

Our Take: America can’t afford to train the future of AI and then send it packing. Let’s turn degrees into contributions, not departures.

Keep Talent in America

The Brain Drain Unlimited Team

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