Interesting correlation. Could it be that the problem isn't immigration, but the welfare state instead? To me it seems clear that this is the case. What would illegal immigration be if there were no opportunity for freebies here - only a job?
Seems we'd want those folks - willing to work for themselves without promises of free school, health care, food stamps, WIC, etc.
Seems we want to avoid those who come because of the freebies.
But what we're getting is both.
So yes, IMO you're right. The problem is not only contempt for the law, but the welfare state itself is largely to blame.
Part of the problem was killing the bracero program. Reinstating that will solve that part of the problem. The otehr part will be finding the will to start paring bacvk the welfare state, and that takes time.
However, the problem will not be solved by going along with paleo-con rhetoric. Not only does it fail to address the real problems, it turns folks who we ought to be reaching out to AGAINST us. I wonder if a lot of the restrictionists are really serious about this or if there might be something else that they wish to foment.