Realistically there is a group within the Democratic party which justifies illegal immigration because it excites the base and offers a potential constituency.

Realistically there is a group within the Democratic party which justifies illegal immigration because it excites the base and offers a potential constituency. We've had this cycle once before - in the 80s the Republicans agreed to amnesty on the condition of enforcement. The enforcement never came. There's also a group of well-meaning people who see the plight of good people who just want to make a living and therefore are for open borders. The first group takes advantage of the second group and there's no way of disentangling them. There is a very real criticism, however, that something like open borders could destroy the productive society people are fleeing to especially if that immigration is against rule of law or eventual assimilation. As the descendants of immigrants who are now Americans, a lot of people are opposed to haphazard immigration without assimilation. American society is so great because people of various cultures come together and make it something new. It appears (to me) that some people don't care about what is sustainable and would rather win for the sake of politics.