St. Anthony: Business is making case for immigration reform

The politics that has stalled comprehensive immigration reform hurts affected businesses, workers and communities that benefit from the economic, cultural and human benefits.

President Obama is using his presidential authority to grant work permits to up to 5 million immigrants living illegally, or undocumented, in the United States, and shield them from deportations that Obama has carried out at a record pace for several years.

I’ll leave the constitutional authority questions to legal experts.

However, it is past time to move toward a sensible immigration ­policy.

This is not necessarily a liberal argument. But one that acknowledges reality and the broad benefits.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, for example, no denizen of the left wing and the state’s largest lobby for Minnesota small businesses, has advocated reform along with a coalition of immigrant-rights groups for five years.

Throw out the human case of separating families and deporting hardworking people who are not criminals. The pragmatic, compassionate and economic case is strong in favor of retaining the 11 million or so undocumented immigrants in our workplaces, schools and neighborhoods.

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