As Twin Cities Business discussed in its August cover story, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the state’s largest business group, is part of a coalition advocating for immigration reform.

Now, the Chamber is stepping up its efforts by releasing a 60-page report illustrating the economic contributions of immigrants and calling again for the passage of comprehensive immigration reform.

The Star Tribune reported on the Chamber’s latest effort, which it says argues for a “21st century perspective” on immigration. That perspective acknowledges that immigrants aren’t just “workers,” but also entrepreneurs, consumers, and an important connection to the global economy. The report contends that, while accepting more immigrants may require short-term costs, those expenses are outweighed by the long-term benefits they will bring to Minnesota. (Read more in the Star Tribune here.)

In August, Twin Cities Business delved into the ongoing immigration reform debate, pointing out that business groups have, often behind the scenes, been championing immigration reform, because the state’s labor pool relies on it.

A key player in the push for smart reform is a group called the Minnesota Business Immigration Coalition—which counts among its members the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, such as the Minnesota Restaurant Association and the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council.

Because of the group’s efforts, hundreds of Minnesota businesses now back the push to modernize federal immigration laws. Their message: Without more immigrants, Minnesota’s labor force will fall short of the workers it will need, at both the higher and lower ends of the skills spectrum, as baby boomers retire.

Read more here.