( CNN ) -- Dear Barack Obama and Mitt Romney , . As much as America is looking forward to 10 more weeks of soothing campaign rhetoric ( fingernails on the blackboard of America 's psyche ) , I write to urge you to offer the nation a compelling vision for a common-sense immigration process . Your respective parties ' conventions would be a great place to start . First off , you should know that poll after poll shows a broad spectrum of Americans want a rational immigration process . In fact , a recent Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that immigration was one of only a few public policy issues where , as the Post put it , `` rank-and-file Republicans and Democrats are less divided . '' A creative approach to immigration may not play to your parties ' fringes , but a clear majority of Americans want a pragmatic federal immigration policy . Yet while the immigration solutions are simple , changing the conversation is not . Opinion : Is Ryan an immigration pragmatist ? Let 's start with what it means to be an American . The United States is a nation of values , founded on an idea : that all men and women are created equal . That all people have rights , no matter what they look like or where they came from . It 's not about what religion you follow or where you were born that makes you American -- it 's how you live your life and your dedication to American ideals . Americans believe families should stick together , we should look out for one another , and hard work deserves reward . These are the reasons America is destination No . 1 for the best , brightest and hardest working from around the world . How you treat new American immigrants reflects your commitment to these values that define us as Americans . As president , how will you ensure that no aspiring American lives in the shadows , and that there is a road map to citizenship for the undocumented ? The same is true today as it has been throughout history : People move to make life better for themselves and their families . People come to America not only for the promise of freedom but also to put food on the table and to send their kids to a decent school . And to rebuild our economy , we need new Americans as customers , innovators , taxpayers and workers . According to a report out this month from the Partnership for a New American Economy , immigrants launched 28 % of the country 's new businesses in 2011 despite accounting for less than 13 % of the U.S. population . The organization found that immigrant-owned firms now generate more than $ 775 billion in revenue , $ 125 billion in payroll and $ 100 billion in income . But immigrant entrepreneurs are just one part of a 21st-century economy . For example , a July economic analysis by the BBVA Bancomer Foundation and Mexico Economic Studies Department of BBVA Research found that Mexican immigrants are responsible for 18 % of our gross domestic product in agriculture , forestry or fishing . In other words , `` nearly one fifth of the national value added of agriculture in the U.S. comes from the work of Mexican immigrants . '' Rest assured that Americans of all stripes hunger for a new consensus on immigration . Earlier this summer , Focus on the Family 's president , Jim Daly , told Christianity Today , `` In terms of immigration , our system , our process is not working well . It 's broken . We need to find new answers to this . '' Opinion : Today , America welcomes young immigrants . Meanwhile , AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a June statement , `` We call on both parties to work with the president toward a legislative solution that will address the parents and families of these immigrant youth , and the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows . '' All of us who believe so strongly in America 's promise deserve from you an immigration process where all of us live our lives openly , participate fully in our communities and serve our country together . Gentlemen , to be specific , this process must enforce the rule of law so all Americans are treated justly , create legal immigration opportunities that serve the needs of our economy and create a line for the undocumented to become full-fledged Americans . The status quo fails to meet this standard . America will be a more vital nation when you engage in a debate that honors our common values and common history , and from which emerge pragmatic immigration solutions that lead us forward together . Sincerely , . Ali Noorani . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ali Noorani .
Noorani : Nation needs a compelling vision for a common-sense immigration process . Poll after poll shows Republicans want a rational immigration process , Noorani says . He cites report that immigrants launched As much as of the country 's new businesses in this month . Ali Noorani : We must create legal immigration opportunities that serve the needs of our economy .