The GOP wants to survive. That is one interpretation of the move toward amnesty and broad immigration reform spearheaded by a bipartisan group of senators today.
The other is that elections have consequences.
Four Republican and four Democratic senators are pushing a path to American citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants who would need to pay fines and taxes, and await government certification of tough border security. But these provisions are nothing more than political cover for what was unthinkable just a few months ago: Amnesty.
via Homepage http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/gop-opts-for-capitulation-and-survival-on-immigration-20130128