> But the groupthink is that the USA is hostile to immigrants. Which doesn't explain all the immigrants (legal and otherwise).
I don't know what groupthink you are talking about, but there is a wife perception that the US has recently become hostile toward immigrants. Which is reflected not only in fuzzy attitudes, but concrete policy, and it does explain changes in immigration, both legal and otherwise.
> There's also the cliche (spread by the internet and political groups) that conservative/Republicans/etc... are against all immigration. This is 90% incorrect
It would be more accurate to say that there is a wide (and accurate) perception that conservatives are generally more negatively inclined to immigration, and that this is generally correct on balance (though obviously not a reliable guide to individual attitudes.)
> Apparently the problem the conservatives have isn't immigration as an umbrella policy. It's legal versus illegal methods
That's what they usually say, but they also usually oppose policy which would make legal immigration easier and relieve pressure that creates illegal immigration, and frequently support policies to restrict legal immigration. And it's not just 10% of conservatives supporting this kind of policy.
This reveals that the rhetoric that it it is only illegal immigration that is the concern is not reflective of the actual concerns.