Most Americans lean toward the left on most issues. Conservatives therefore have to garnish their legislation with focus-group tested slogans that appeal to values of fairness, equality, concern, community, etc. After all, who wants to leave children behind? In reality, Republicans obviously do, witness their bragging about pro-education legislation that they refuse to even fund (a ploy that Reagan used with great effect while Governor). Worse, consider their utter disregard for America's growing infant mortality rate. (The U.S. is 27th worldwide, behind every country in Europe, even Greece and Portugal --
March of Dimes). Before I looked this up, my recollection is that we were 18th, right behind Italy. It's another case of "old Europe" leaving the USA in the dust.
As for borders, GOP leaders (especially those from Texas) are generally favor liberal immigration policies, including allowing a great degree of "illegal" immigration. The rich need the cheap labor and government benefit from the taxes. Try and recall any GOP consensus toward the one obvious and inevitably effective solution to hiring immigrants: fining and taxing the employers. The trick with the GOP is to capitalize on the racism and xenophobia without having to do much about policy.