(CNN) -- Senate Republicans have said no to any piece of legislation related to immigration that extends beyond border enforcement. Most recently, they killed the DREAM Act (it stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) with a filibuster and balked at the late-hour introduction of a comprehensive immigration bill by Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey. The conventional wisdom has been the GOP's position was a good short-term strategy that would mobilize the Tea Party movement in a climate of left-of-center malaise and reinforce Republicans' seemingly inexorable November landslide. There is good reason to believe, however, that obstructing Congress on immigration will hurt the party in this election and in the long-term.
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Daniel Altschuler: GOP has opposed any immigration legislation beyond border control
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He says party helped kill DREAM Act as part of strategy to thwart Democratic agenda
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Latinos see GOP's position, he says, and it could hurt the party in midterms and beyond
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Altschuler: If Latinos vote for Dems in midterms, GOP may decide to deal on immigration
On its face, this has just been the most recent episode in the GOP's broader strategy -- block @placeholder efforts and then denounce the Democrats as incapable ideologues.