A fierce controversy has erupted about a Spanish version of the U.S. national anthem recorded by Latino pop stars.

The new rhythmic variant of the Star-Spangled Banner, which celebrated its premiere on April 28, is called "Nuestro Himno". The song has been played non-stop on the Latin radio stations nationwide ever since. According to the initiators and participating musicians, the anthem was written to support the millions of illegal immigrants in the United States in their fight for legalizing their status. "Nuestro Himno" was recorded, among others, by stars such as Gloria Trevi, Carlos Ponce, Tito El Bambino, Frank Reyes and the band Aventura. The melody and structure of the original anthem mainly remain the same. However, the rhythm and parts of the original lyrics have been changed. One passage for example says: "We are the same, we are brothers."

Radio and TV stations have been flooded with emails expressing either outrage or sympathy and support. Conservative radio stations have expressed harsh criticism. President Bush himself argued against the Latino variant of the sacred national anthem. He explained to journalists that people who intended to become U.S. citizens should learn English and that they “ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English.”