According to right-wing Republican columnist Robert Novak, writing in today's Washington Post:
Many Republicans reach for an anti-immigration lifeline because of the party's plight. Burdened with an unpopular president and an unpopular war, the GOP cannot claim to be the party of limited government and controlled spending. But immigrant-bashing divides rather than unites Republicans, as the South Carolina and Georgia conventions showed. In a recent closed-door meeting of the House's conservative Republican Study Committee, Rep. Bob Inglis (S.C.) raised the danger of resembling South Africa's National Party advocating apartheid.
And, Novak adds:
This nation of immigrants has greeted successive waves of newcomers with apprehension stoked by demagogues. It has overcome such past xenophobic impulses. But that will be more difficult in an era of Internet bloggers and radio talkers, with the Republican Party in trouble and seeking a unifying issue at the grass roots and with the Democratic Party sensing its adversary's weakness and moving in for the kill.
Interesting perspective from a conservative Republican columnist who, whether you like him or not, has great sources in both parties. In this case, I think Novak might be onto something...
P.S. In related news, the Senate voted yesterday to [slash] the size of a proposed guest-worker program for foreign laborers." The vote was overwhelming: 74-24 in favor of cutting the program. Jim Webb voted yes, John Warner voted no.