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A new report should serve as a reminder — as if one is needed — that the United States' immigration system is broken and needs fixing. The 110th Congress should follow the report's recommendations and pass a comprehensive immigration-reform package this session.

The report "Immigration and America's Future: A New Chapter" recognizes that while immigrants contribute greatly to the American way of life, huge problems arise when too many people cross our borders illegally. Those problems are exacerbated, the report found, by an "immigration system that is overwhelmed, outdated and no longer serves the nation's needs."

Arizona Sen. John McCain and Rep. Jeff Flake served on the independent, bipartisan task force that helped create the report.

"Immigration will help the United States be a more productive, competitive and successful nation in the 21st century," the report says. "As the U.S. economy creates more jobs than can be filled by native-born workers, immigration complements the work force exceptionally well and fills gaps at all skill levels."

On the flip side, the report states that "nearly one-third of the country's foreign-born population today is estimated to be unauthorized — a level unacceptable for a nation of immigrants that is also a nation of laws."

The report goes on to say that "immigration also presents substantial integration challenges due to the sheer number of immigrants. . . . Many of the costs and responsibilities for immigrant integration, including education and health care for unauthorized immigrants, are borne by states and localities."

Southern Arizonans are all too familiar with the hidden costs of illegal immigration in our schools and hospitals and the environment.

The report offers possible solutions, too, and it's not the enforcement-heavy approach that has been espoused by some anti-immigration advocates and lawmakers.

While the task force concluded that more border security is needed, it doesn't recommend hundreds of miles of walls or fencing. It also took a swipe at groups like the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, saying enforcement efforts "must include active steps by the government to disband vigilantism of any form along the border."

In Arizona, state Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, introduced legislation that would make it a felony for groups, such as the Minutemen, not affiliated with law enforcement to patrol "to detect alleged illegal activity" if any are armed.

The report recommends a comprehensive solution, which we've been supporting on these pages since the immigration debate heated up early last year.

Among the task force's 16 recommendations, which sitting members of Congress like McCain and Flake were not asked to endorse, were:

● More border security using high-tech equipment and technology.

● Simplifying and redesigning the immigration system.

● Giving employers a way to verify that workers are here legally.

● Creating a framework to provide temporary workers to industries that need them.

● Creating a way for some illegal immigrants to earn permanent legal status.

● Working with Mexico and Canada on immigration issues.

President Bush has promised to reform the U.S. immigration system, but it was often members of his own party who stalled his initiative.

With Democrats now in control of Congress and apparently on Bush's side concerning immigration, we urge Congress, and Arizona's representatives in particular, to address a problem that should have been made a priority long ago.