Undocumented immigrants face many obstacles — and to overcome them, they need strong allies.

As of 2014, an estimated total of 42.4 million immigrants live in the United States, 11.4 million of whom are undocumented. Language barriers, access to health care, education, finding employment and securing housing are only a few of the many issues most immigrants face, all in addition to widespread xenophobia.

“You don’t need to be an immigrant to be an ally with us,” journalist and filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas tells Mashable.

Vargas is the founder of Define American, a media and culture organization shifting the conversation around immigrants, identity and citizenship in the U.S. He believes building a network of allies is key to humanizing the fight for immigration rights.