Fred Thompson on Immigration

From an A.P. article published widely the other day:

Fred Thompson, a potential Republican presidential candidate, suggested that the 1986 immigration law signed by President Reagan is to blame for the country’s illegal immigrants and he bemoaned a nation beset by “suicidal maniacs.”

“Twelve million illegal immigrants later, we are now living in a nation that is beset by people who are suicidal maniacs and want to kill countless innocent men, women and children around the world,” the former Tennessee senator said.

One question of many prompted by this quote: assuming that Thompson does run for President, does this statement lead to a net gain or net loss in votes?