I disagree. Start removing the incentives for illegal immigration. Enforce the laws already on the books that levy fines against employers for hiring illegal workers. If employers are investigated, they claim they can't be responsible if their workers present documents which later turn out to be fake. Or employers hire workers "off the books" and pay cash so no documents are needed.
Changing our immigration system? The US currently permits between 1 to 1.5 million legal immigrants a year - the highest level of any country!
That would be great, but I don't know that we have the ability to do that.
What is the incentive for many who come here illegally or stay here after losing legal status?
Why does a man leave his family and village, travel thousands of miles, at great risk to his life, to a hostile foreign environment in which he is constantly in fear of arrest or abuse; to take the dirtiest, most dangerous, most menial jobs at minimum wages?
He does it because it's the only way he has to feed his family and provide them the basic necessities of life.
Personally, I admire a man who will do whatever it takes to provide for his wife and children regardless of the risks, hardships, and burdens. I hope that were I in the same situation that I would do the same.
You will never stop men of courage who love their families so much that they are willing to sacrifice everything from coming to the U.S. to work.
The only long term solution is to make it unnecessary for them to comes to the U.S. in order to support their families.