No ICE, Please: A Psychologist’s Roadmap to Immigration Advocacy and Safety

Date of Award

Spring 6-12-2026

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Kimberly Gorgens

Second Advisor

Lynett Henderson Metzger

Third Advisor

Kritika Dwivedi

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Advocacy, Social justice, Psychology, Mental health, Therapy, Immigration policy, Ethics

Abstract

The enforcement of U.S. immigration policy has significant psychological implications for undocumented individuals, mixed-status families, and the psychologists who serve them. While professional advocacy is increasingly emphasized as an ethical responsibility of psychologists, there is little guidance for psychologists protecting undocumented clients in clinical contexts. In this paper, we outline the present immigration policy landscape as well as the ethical and advocacy imperatives that psychologists have during this critical period. We then explore how psychologists have been responding thus far and how we can learn from other professions. We thus offer a roadmap for immigration advocacy, emphasizing the ways that we can leverage our expertise to protect our clients and communities. The roadmap for immigration advocacy is presented across three levels: level 1: clinical and client centered, level 2: institutional advocacy, and level 3: public-facing advocacy. Importantly, the information provided in this paper is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are encouraged to attend local Know Your Rights trainings and seek immigration-related consultation from their legal representation, local state professional associations, professional liability insurance company, and institution when making legal decisions. particularly given the evolving nature of immigration policies.

Copyright Date

5-29-2026

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

Rights Holder

Nina Zavareh Dadabhoy

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

65 pgs

File Size

1.82 MB

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