Ronald Reagan was "conservative", but sponsored a real amnesty. Not even a fine levied for illegal entry into the country.
Was Reagan a "conservative", or has the definition of what a conservative thinks merely changed?
If the employer sanctions of the IRCA of 1986 were enforced, that legislation would have been a one time ONLY amnesty deal. Besides, Reagan wasn't into making the same mistake twice. Even with the hindsight of history, Bush wants to make the same mistake again, except this time instead of 2.7 million illegals, it'll be for 15 million illegals.