This is the Hegelian Dialectic in action. Our leaders created a problem (unchecked immigration) and have let it fester for decades until half of the country begs for massive state overreach to correct it. Take a step back. This is state overreach, but why did they let immigration get this bad?

The need for urgent immigation reform has been a campaign topic since i was a child. Mostly for Republicans, but not exclusively. Occasionally there were attempts to actually pass immigration reforms, but they were routinely blocked, again mostly by Republicans. Democrats focused mostly elsewhere.