I think that's exactly what is happening. Also, every time we are mentioned in mainstream media outlets, it is a two-edged sword. Certainly some conservatives take note of the name and check out the website. And I'll bet they aren't terribly impressed by what they are seeing here lately.
Media types and malcontents and troublemakers come here too, I am certain, and either lay low for a while to establish their credentials and then stir up trouble when they see an opportunity. And for some reason, they saw immigration as something they could use to stir up trouble for conservatives and the talk radio hosts, reading this site like they do, jumped on the band wagon.
I have only met one person in real life who is concerned about the immigration issue, for instance. Until recently -- now that the media is focusing on it. And I think the media is focusing on it because they are focusing on the blogs and sites like this one.
Now, maybe real conservatives are horribly upset about the issue and I'm just out of the loop as a conservative. I could be overly suspicious. But the book Hillary's Secret War told how through cookies (or something like that) JR and other web site owners could trace where posters were coming from and we had a lot of posters coming from the Clinton WH and the Washington Post, etc.
But in fewer words, you named it nicely. A fake trend. hah