Lets point out one interesting fact. Out of every 100 German student who finishes his German Phd...30 of them will pack up that week and move to the US. And another 20 will eventually come to the US. Its probably the same in the UK, and in Italy. We should not be worried about educating them in the US...we are already getting the most gifted and brightest of the world. And the reason is simple...you get paid for your effort. In Germany, it would take you 20 years to get your own lab and run it. In the US...you could have your own lab within 2 or 3 year...provided you show that you aren't wasting time. And the tax situation...the stability of the US system...all of these add up. I'm not worried...we are getting the cream of the crop one way or another.
I agree, we want western european students. I pointed out that we are allowing illegals to flood in and putting the screws to legitimate immigration.