Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus want more party discipline to stop Democrats from siding with the GOP on measures they view as anti-immigrant.

Six times since June, House Republicans have used procedural votes to box Democrats into a corner on various aspects of illegal immigration.

Vulnerable Democrats, including 19 freshmen, have voted “yes” on at least some of those votes. Brad Ellsworth of Indiana and Heath Shuler of North Carolina — both freshmen from districts that President Bush carried in 2004 — have voted with Republicans all six times.

Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joe Baca, D-Calif., said he met this week with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to press for more unanimity among Democrats.

“She agrees that we have to start holding a lot of our members a lot more accountable,” Baca said, adding that certain members “shouldn’t be getting free rides” when it comes to party loyalty.

“There has to be some form of discipline in bringing the whole team across the finish line,” Baca said.

Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois confirmed that the meeting with Pelosi took place but declined to comment, saying he didn’t attend.

“While I can’t comment on a private conversation, we are engaging the full Democratic Caucus to work constructively on immigration issues,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said via e-mail.

The measures that so irritate the Hispanic Caucus have been motions to recommit — procedural moves that give the GOP an opportunity to expound on a theme, even if their motions fail.

Lately, that theme has been illegal immigration.

A Sept. 18 motion to recommit a mortgage-foreclosure prevention bill (HR 1852) was worded as a gesture of opposition to illegal immigrants having access to federal housing assistance.

Another, offered June 15 on the fiscal 2008 Homeland Security spending bill (HR 2638), would have bolstered funds for fencing and other barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Neither motion was successful. Likewise, four other immigration-related motions offered since June were unsuccessful.

But Hispanic Caucus members have been increasingly frustrated when fellow Democrats support the motions.

“It’s definitely pointing the finger in ways that I think are wrongheaded and malicious,” said Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.

“It’s pretty disturbing that in the desire to find a strategy that diffuses Republicans, we seem to, time after time, agree with them on immigration,” said Jos?? E. Serrano, D-N.Y.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus who said they agree with the Hispanic Caucus also view race as a big part of immigration debates.

“I would hope that those in our party would be more compassionate about the immigration issue,” said William Lacy Clay, D-Mo.

Though he would not discuss the objections of the Hispanic Caucus, Shuler did offer a response when asked whether he planned to reconsider his voting pattern on those types of motions: He shook his head “no.”

Ellsworth directed an inquiry to his press secretary, who did not return calls seeking comment.

The freshman Democrats who have voted for some but not all of the GOP motions are Arizona’s Gabrielle Giffords and Harry E. Mitchell; California’s Jerry McNerney; Florida’s Tim Mahoney; Indiana’s Joe Donnelly and Baron P. Hill; Kansas’ Nancy Boyda; New Hampshire’s Paul W. Hodes; New York’s Kirsten Gillibrand and John Hall; Ohio’s Zack Space and Charlie Wilson; Pennsylvania’s Jason Altmire, Christopher Carney and Patrick J. Murphy; Texas’ Nick Lampson; and Wisconsin’s Steve Kagen.

Tim Walz of Minnesota, class president for the 42 Democratic freshmen, said House leaders told concerned freshmen during a Sept. 26 breakfast with Pelosi that they were devising a strategy to prevent vulnerable members from having to vote repeatedly on immigration-tinged motions.

Republicans, in the meantime, are sticking with what they’ve determined is a winning campaign issue for them — interjecting immigration concerns into motions to recommit.

“If the opportunity presents itself, I’m sure we’ll do it,” said Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, a member of the Republican whip team.