United We Dream

United We Dream
Name	United We Dream
Alt	United We Dream logo
Formation	2008
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Location	United States
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Cristina Jiménez Moreta (co-founder; former), Alexandra Ritchie (interim)
Focus	Immigrant youth advocacy, policy, civic engagement

United We Dream

United We Dream is a US-based immigrant youth-led advocacy network that organizes undocumented young people and allies for policy change, social justice, and civil rights. Founded in 2008 amid nationwide debates over immigration reform and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the organization became a major actor in the contemporary immigration and civil rights landscape by combining grassroots organizing with policy advocacy and strategic litigation support. United We Dream's work centers on the experiences of DREAMers, youth of color, and mixed-status families to advance equity and racial justice.

History and Founding

United We Dream was formed in 2008 through the merger of local youth groups and networks such as the DreamActivist movement, which emerged after the 2001 and 2005 immigrant rights mobilizations. Co-founders including Cristina Jiménez Moreta, Angelo Fiallo, and others created a national infrastructure to coordinate local chapters and campaigns. The organization gained prominence during the 2012 announcement of DACA under the Obama administration after leading sit-ins, delegations to Congress, and public demonstrations. United We Dream's model reflected traditions of youth-led civic action similar to earlier movements organized by groups like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and later immigrant-rights coalitions such as the National Council of La Raza (now UnidosUS).

Mission, Values, and Advocacy Goals

United We Dream's stated mission focuses on building power among immigrant-origin youth to win fair laws, end deportations, and expand civic participation. Its values emphasize leadership development, organizational accountability, intersectional racial justice, and solidarity with labor and reproductive justice movements. The group ties immigrant rights to broader campaigns for economic and educational opportunity, aligning with organizations such as National Immigration Law Center and Make the Road New York on policy priorities. United We Dream advocates abolitionist critiques of carceral immigration systems, connecting to movements against mass incarceration and for policing reforms.

Major Campaigns and Actions

United We Dream organized national campaigns including the push for permanent protections for DREAM Act-eligible youth, mobilizations for DACA implementation, and resistance to mass deportations during the Trump administration. Notable tactics have included civil disobedience at Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices, campus actions at institutions like Harvard University and University of California campuses, and coordinated days of action with partner groups. The organization also led campaigns against anti-immigrant executive actions, supported sanctuary policies in cities and universities, and launched voter registration drives that connected immigrant rights to electoral power.

Role in Immigration and Civil Rights Movements

United We Dream operates at the intersection of immigration advocacy and the broader US civil rights tradition. It reframes undocumented youth narratives to emphasize dignity, civic contribution, and systemic discrimination, linking to racial justice organizations such as the Black Lives Matter movement and labor unions like the Service Employees International Union. By centering youth-of-color leadership and storytelling, United We Dream has influenced public discourse, media representation, and coalition strategies used in campaigns for comprehensive immigration reform and anti-discrimination protections.

Organizational Structure and Constituent Leadership

United We Dream is a network of local chapters, regional hubs, and a national staff infrastructure that emphasizes constituent leadership. Leadership models rely on peer organizing, leadership councils, and training programs to develop organizers from immigrant communities. Its governance includes a board of directors and partner advisory structures, drawing on expertise from civil rights attorneys, community organizers, and youth leaders. The organization maintains relationships with legal advocacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and policy organizations like the Immigration Policy Center for technical support.

Policy Impact and Legislative Advocacy

United We Dream has influenced policy debates on DACA, deportation relief, and pathways to citizenship through direct lobbying, member testimonies before Congress, and coalition-building with groups like United Farm Workers and National Immigration Forum. The organization produced policy proposals aimed at ending family separation, reforming detention practices, and expanding access to healthcare and education for undocumented youth. Its advocacy contributed to municipal sanctuary ordinances and shaped public testimony during debates over the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 and later legislative efforts.

Criticisms, Challenges, and Controversies

United We Dream has faced internal and external critiques, including debates over strategy between litigation versus direct action, prioritization of DACA recipients versus broader undocumented communities, and organizational transparency. The resignation of co-founder Cristina Jiménez Moreta amid controversies prompted discussion about governance and accountability within progressive nonprofits. Externally, conservative critics have opposed the group's policy goals, framing DACA and sanctuary policies as unlawful; these clashes have involved legal challenges and political pushback during both Republican and Democratic administrations. United We Dream continues to navigate funding constraints common to nonprofit advocacy groups while striving to center grassroots leadership and equitable governance.

Category:Immigration to the United States Category:Civil rights organizations in the United States