Indeed, immigration reform opponents are going up against conservative, pro-growth economists as well as some prominent evangelicals and hawks. Can all of these people be dupes of the White House and Chuck Schumer? Moreover, a large majority of Republican voters (maybe not National Review readers), when told the central planks of the Gang of 8 plan, approve of it.

Worse still, immigration reform opponents are lined up with and should denounce some pretty flaky types. We’re reminded of that this week in a Huffington Post report on a pathetic turnout of a whole 20 people to protest Rubio’s immigration reform proposals. The crowd, all 20, were rustled up by controversial radio talk-show host Joyce Kaufman, a follower (as are some prominent anti-immigration groups) of the Zero Population fringe movement. She’s infamous for her incendiary anti-immigrant insults.

The irony in all this, of course, is that most of the top Republicans favor a Gang of 8 plan, and it is warmly embraced by fiscal, social and national security conservatives. That’s because there is little conservative virtue in opposing a plan that is good for the economy, embodies religious values and helps secure the border, in contrast to the current de facto amnesty situation.