Moral Injury Among Physicians Caring for Immigrant Patients Amid Anti-Immigrant Policies

What are the experiences of 38 primary care physicians caring for immigrant patients since January 2025?In this qualitative study, participants reported moral injury stemming from anti-immigrant policies, which was exacerbated by the adverse effects of the policies on the health of immigrant and US citizen patients, and by health care systems that limited immigrant patient support or remained silent. Moral injury was mitigated by supportive health care system responses and physician advocacy.Anti-immigrant policies have adversely affected the well-being of physicians, immigrants, and US citizens; supportive health care system responses and physician advocacy may help mitigate anti-immigrant policy harms and reduce moral injury.

Corresponding Author: Marlene Martín, MD, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110 (marlene.martin@ucsf.edu).

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