According to journalist Adrian Carrasquillo of Newsweek, the Republican Party risks losing the support of Latino voters by targeting asylum issues. The bill introduced by Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas proposes changes to the way asylum applications are handled, which is worrying other Republicans, who fear the party will lose recent support from Hispanic voters by going too far on the immigration issue. The bill, which proposes to bar all undocumented immigrants from entering, was seen as an attack on the asylum process, which has been a hallmark of US immigration policy for 75 years.

Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas spoke out on Fox News last week against the bill. "I am particularly concerned about this Border Security and Protection Project", he said. "Basically, what it does is it bans all asylum, including legitimate asylum. I'm very concerned about that."

While the bill, in its current form, has not gone ahead, it is certain that there will be more immigration bills to follow after Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a promise to bring a border security bill to Congress in exchange for his votes to make him President of the House. His battle to get the job was recently analyzed in the Latino Observatory.

Some longtime Republicans and experts on the Latino campaigns who helped bring Hispanic voters to the GOP worry that while efforts to repeal asylum protections may appeal to a section of the conservative base, they could also erode the party's gains in the latino community.

"The language was too broad and could have brought the asylum system to a standstill," Abraham Enriquez, founder of Bienvenido US and a speaker at CPAC Texas, told Newsweek. "Republicans are winning votes from Latino voters. Now is not the time for a bill that ends the asylum system."

A Los Angeles Times poll conducted in December showed that 62% of Hispanics support the asylum's continuation. The Bienvenido US group did election work on behalf of candidates in Texas, Arizona, Georgia and Florida, worth almost $2 million during the 2022 elections.

The group's president, Enriquez, said Republicans need to understand that the media narrative goes beyond Fox News. He said Hispanics favor a comprehensive approach to immigration, meaning they are in favor of border security and immigrants, not against them, as would happen if an anti-asylum law were passed.

Mario Lopez, appointed by President George W. Bush, said the Republican lawmakers' approach was a mistake. He asked if anyone really thinks Latinos agree with unfair and biased immigration policies. Bryan Lanza, a former Trump official, said he doesn't believe Stephen Miller and Tancredo's message harms Republicans' relationship with the Hispanic community. According to him, in the era of Trump, immigration became an economic issue, which was more attractive to Hispanics.

However, Republicans who oppose the cut in asylum in the United States believe that projects like Roy's will increase illegal immigration, as those who really fear for their lives will continue to seek refuge in the United States, which would be completely contrary to what they say they wish to achieve.

Nonetheless, Enriquez adds: “When someone is fleeing real persecution and legitimately needs asylum, they will find a way to cross our borders. (...) These projects will only increase the illegal crossings of families seeking asylum who will find another way to America”

Attention is not restricted to fellow Republicans in observing the actions of the majority in the House. The executive director of America's Voice, Vanessa Cardenas, an organization that fights for immigration issues, says that the Republican Party is also about to expand legal immigration options for the country, highlighting the lawsuit of Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, against the Biden administration on Tuesday.

This measure was announced in December, allowing the entry of up to 360,000 immigrants a year from countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua. To apply for the program, they must pass background checks and prove financial support in the United States.

According to Cardenas, "extremists have taken over the GOP" (acronym 'Grand Old Party', in reference to the Republican party) and "republicans are determined to close all forms of immigration, including legal", which demonstrates how much influence extremists have in the party.

Cardenas accuses Republicans of politicizing immigration just to harm Democrats. According to her, "they are using immigration as a strategy to agitate their base".