Erik Cruz Morales (He/Him) is an immigration activist and DACAmented professional, currently serving as the Policy and Advocacy Manager at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ). In this role, Erik leads comprehensive advocacy and organizing efforts across immigration, social, and racial justice campaigns. Before joining NJAIJ, he was a Program Associate and Philanthropy Fellow at The Fund for New Jersey, a private foundation in Princeton, NJ, supporting nonprofit organizations advocating for a range of public policy issues affecting New Jersey, including affordable housing, environmental justice, immigrant rights, racial justice, and more.

Erik holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Leadership for public organizations from Rutgers University-Newark. Erik sits on the Rutgers University Alumni Board, representing the needs of +600,000 alumni and the New Jersey Leadership Collective (NJLC) board as co-chair of the Selections committee. In 2018, Erik’s immigration story was a part of the amicus curiae brief sent to the Supreme Court of the United States in strong support of DACA recipients and their efforts to sustain the program. Residing in Passaic County, NJ, he is passionately dedicated to improving the lives of all New Jersey citizens, regardless of immigration status.