NASHVILLE (AP) - Prominent business leaders and Republicans held a forum in support of immigration reform on Wednesday.

The idea was to keep the immigration reform alive during the congressional recess and build support among the public and members of Congress.

The Senate passed a far-reaching immigration measure in June that includes border security, workplace enforcement and a path to citizenship. But the majority of House Republicans remain opposed to any path to citizenship, creating concerns that legislators will be unable to craft a compromise bill.

At the Wednesday forum, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Randy Johnson rejected that idea.

Johnson said there has been a "seismic shift" on the issues in recent years, with many people now agreeing that immigrants need some sort of legal status.