I think the term divide and conquer by the well organized and funded liberal machine keeps muddying the waters. Now when Hillry used the words about Republicans in Congress would make Jesus illegal if they could over immigration, it scared the 'water' out of the GOP power-brokers. So the illegal invasion was planted under the guise of 'compassionate' conservatism or some use 'good Samaritan' for turning a blind eye to a complete transformation of this nation. I am NOT just referring to those south of the border, there are mini communities from all over this globe set up by our government representatives that is just plain FOREIGN to a Constitutional Republic.
The GOP has become so diverse in its willingness to included so many the ideology of conservatism is virtually lost because there is no way to stay true to the Constitution when one must pander tax payers dollars to maintain these diverse communities.
The business community looking for the profit margin are willing to accept the higher tax burden for US all through cheap labor. Another one of those liberal ideas, government is in charge of cost of labor is not being challenged, just a short term attempt to circumvent the law. However, the immediate benefit for their profit margin will in the long term not prosper, these cheap laborers will at some point require union scale wages and there will be some judge some where that will decree they are entitled to life's minimum wage scale and someone will be required to settle that debt.
The GOP has been willing to join the liberals on their social issues to the point that the foundation of what gives US our blessings is so perverted it is hardly recognizable.
No party in American history has been 100% pure. The Lincoln Republicans were heavy on tariffs and government subsidies to RRs. The TR Republicans were big on social control. Even Reagan sacrificed high deficits (rightly so) to win the Cold War. EVERY era has its tradeoffs, which is why politics is an "art."