The GOP’s Immigration Problem

IMMIGRATION has long been the great sleeper issue in American politics, with two-thirds of the voters wanting less of it and the political and business elites wanting a great deal more. Time and again it has looked likely to break through this bipartisan barrier into public debate. On each occasion, however, the elites have suppressed any stirrings of public opposition-until the last few weeks.

Over that period, the following events have occurred: One. Leading Democrats with serious political ambitions—Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, and Hillary Clinton (no additional identification necessary)-have all expressed concern about border security, illegal immigration, and the social costs that immigration imposes. Napolitano declared a state of emergency in border counties hit hard by illegals, and Richardson praised as “patriots” the Minutemen watching the border (President Bush had damned them as “vigilantes”).

About the Author

John O’Sullivan

John O’Sullivan is a senior fellow at National Review Institute and a contributing editor of National Review.

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IMMIGRATION has long been the great sleeper issue in American politics, with two-thirds of the voters wanting less of it and the political and business elites wanting a great deal more. Time and again it has looked likely to break through this bipartisan barrier into public debate. On each occasion, however, the elites have suppressed any stirrings of public opposition-until the last few weeks.

Over that period, the following events have occurred: One. Leading Democrats with serious political ambitions—Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, and Hillary Clinton (no additional identification necessary)-have all expressed concern about border security, illegal immigration, and the social costs that immigration imposes. Napolitano declared a state of emergency in border counties hit hard by illegals, and Richardson praised as “patriots” the Minutemen watching the border (President Bush had damned them as “vigilantes”).