“I am a physician and not a border guard”: physicians’ experiences in response to the Swedish state mandating their involvement in border control

Sep 30, 2026

With increased global securitisation of borders, border enforcement has entered healthcare contexts, yet physicians have not typically been expected to participate in border control. This study examines physicians’ lived experiences after Swedish right and far-right coalition policies moved to legislate a duty to report undocumented patients to law enforcement and migration authorities. Using multi-sited ethnography and interviews, results show broad refusal rooted in protecting medical decision-making, clinic neutrality, colleagueship, and patient trust, with serious concerns in humanitarian settings. Resistance included accepting job loss or imprisonment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Aim

Method

Results

Conclusion

2nd World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race & Health Abstract Book vi43 Abstract citation ID: ckaf180.120 380 “I am a physician and not a border guard”: physicians’ experiences in response to the Swedish state mandating their involvement in border control Mayssa Rekhis1, Lisen Dellenborg1, Lena Gross2, Andrea Spehar1, Josephine T. V. Greenbrook1,3 1Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden 2Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, Norway vi44 European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 35, Supplement 6, 2025 3University of Edinburgh, United Kindgom OP 15: Exclusion and Discrimmination 1, B308 (FCSH), September 3, 2025, 17:00-18:00 Aim: With increased global securitisation of borders, the presence of border enforcement agents in healthcare contexts has been on the rise over the past decades. Yet, healthcare professionals have not commonly been expected to directly participate in border control. In recent years, the Swedish right and far-right government coalition has taken active steps toward legislating physicians’ duty to report to law enforcement and migration authorities when they encounter undocumented patients in practice. As part of the Boundaries Longitudinal Study, this research aims to illuminate physicians’ lived experiences, responses, and reactions to their expected involvement in border enforcement. Method: Based on a multi-sited ethnography, data was generated through constructivist interviews in conventional healthcare and ethnographic fieldwork in humanitarian contexts. Results: Physicians broadly refused their expected involvement in border enforcement practices. They perceived their mandate involve medical decision-making, and strongly objected to political involvement in the clinic. Many reported being willing to go to great lengths in their refusal to participate, including accepting losing employment or spending time in prison. While most believed their colleagues shared their objections, several feared that instilling mandatory reporting would lead to increased distrust among professionals in the workplace, and a deterioration of the collegial glue. They also worried that undocumented patients would avoid seeking healthcare altogether. In humanitarian care, prospect of mandatory reporting led to grave concern, shock, and disbelief. Expected impacts on patients was troubling, igniting several forms of questioning and resistance. Physicians also felt their identity was shaken, along with their views on the society they lived in. Conclusion: This research advances knowledge on physicians’ experiences, responses, and reactions to their expected involvement in border control practices, and the extent of their refusal to participate. Broad resistance to enacting migration control policies was observed, particularly when these interfere with medical decisionmaking and patient rights.

FAQs

What policy change is examined in the study?

The study examines Swedish state steps to mandate physicians’ involvement in border control by legislating a duty to report undocumented patients to law enforcement and migration authorities.

How did physicians respond to the expected border-enforcement involvement?

Physicians broadly refused participation, objecting to political involvement in clinics and emphasizing that mandates should remain focused on medical decision-making.

What risks did physicians foresee for patients and healthcare workplaces?

Physicians feared mandatory reporting would increase distrust among professionals, weaken collegial relationships, and lead undocumented patients to avoid seeking healthcare; humanitarian settings also produced grave concern, shock, and disbelief.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by วิน