Undocumented Immigrants Land TIME Cover

A year ago, Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Antonio Vargas surprised the world when he admitted to being an illegal immigrant in an essay published by the New York Times. Today, a photograph taken by Gian Paul Lozza featuring Vargas with 35 other undocumented immigrants became the cover image of the June 14th issue of TIME Magazine. In a poignant "Behind the Cover" photo gallery, Lozza shows individuals who identify themselves as "American Immigrants" sharing their future aspirations for themselves and their new country.

Can Someone Tell Mis Papás that We Live in the U.S. Of A.?

As an undocumented journalist living in the United States and writer of the TIME cover story, Vargas relates closely to the plight of the Latino immigrant and the lack of progress in immigration reform. Photographer Lozza wanted to open up the concept of illegal immigration in the American mind by making sure he included as many ethnic and cultural origins as can be represented among the undocumented. "They come from so many different countries, religions and backgrounds," says Lozza. "We wanted to bring that diversity to the light. This is not just a problem for Latinos, as we hear about often, but for every culture from around the world."

See the cover for yourself; what do you think?

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