As a daily newspaper serving the Latino community, we understand the complexities of the immigration phenomenon and know how urgent it is that immigration legislation be reformed. However, this is not a common understanding in the national conscience.

One year ago, the average U.S. resident was “surprised” to see images of the rivers of people marching in dozens of cities demanding that they not be criminalized by a Dante-like bill proposed to Congress, and demanding that the immigration system be reformed.

Why do most people in the United States not have a clear understanding of the terrible consequences of an archaic immigration system? It could be that English-language media does not find it “sexy” to speak about an issue, although common, which is essential to the present and future of the United States.

The way in which we treat immigrants today and in the future will define, or redefine, the type of nation that we are. Because this is a country shaped and enhanced by immigrants, we have an obligation to reconcile our history and foreign origins with the application of functional and realistic laws that will once again make legal a system that is broken.

It is true that we are facing new challenges – national security is a priority and we want our laws to be respected. Well, all that can be accomplished if Congress approves a comprehensive immigration reform that offers paths for legal migration.

Regulating immigration is not a luxury but a need; the growth and competitiveness of our economy depends on it. Anyone who does not understand that either lives in a foreign country or is willfully lying to himself.

Without the recent Latino immigrants, the fruits and vegetables we eat would never reach our table; perhaps, even the cost of buying a home or apartment would be higher without their labor.

The United States is a country that recognizes foreign talent and makes it its own. That’s how we won the race to land on the moon. Today, immigrants demand that they be acknowledged, not to reach for the stars, but to secure their present and the future of our nation, which depends on their energy and innovation. They ask to be acknowledged in exchange for their commitment to give us a promising future.