Our tight borders are the reason that the immigrant population is booming. By making it more difficult for illegals to go home, visit their families, and return, the US gov't is making it more attractive for them to move here, get some bogus IDs, blend in and stay. The border is still relatively porous in places, but the tighter it gets, the longer illegal immigrants will stay. This situation is just what some industries want, including meat-packing plants, chicken raising operations, etc - a hard-working, cheap labor force that will not protest bad working conditions, long hours, etc, because they need the jobs, and because they know that they can easily be ratted out if they complain. These companies know that they're hiring illegals, and they like it that way.