Welcome to Defending the AU Dream Initiative

Defending the AU Dream Initiative (AU Dream) is a vital component of the Immigrant Justice Clinic at American University Washington College of Law. As part of a teaching clinic, AU Dream enables law students to provide direct legal representation to clients under the close supervision of clinic faculty who are licensed immigration attorneys.

AU Dream offers free immigration legal services to undocumented and other noncitizen students who are enrolled in a college or university in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (DMV). In certain cases, we also extend legal support to students’ family members.

Upon request, AU Dream also hosts Know Your Rights presentations; legal presentation for students, faculty, and staff; and community legal clinics to screen students for relief under immigration law.

We are guided by the belief that all students deserve the opportunity to thrive in higher education and can do so in an environment where they feel safe, supported, and empowered to pursue their goals. Our legal services remove one of the significant barriers to success: insecure immigration status. Through collaboration with trusted partners and allies in the DMV, we also connect students to additional resources that address their broader needs.