No , that ' s a stupid approach that has been repeatedly shown not to work . Illegal immigration will find a way so long as the money is there for them . No country is going to be able to secure their borders enough to stop individuals from trickling into the country . The solution that no one has interest in doing is to cut off the head . Enforce current laws on businesses hiring illegal workers . Hit them with crippling penalties for violating fair labor laws , add on penalties that will pay for the increased enforcement of these laws . I guarantee companies will stop hiring illegal immigrants as soon as it hurts their bottom line . You have to make the fine more than what a company saves by hiring illegal workers . Once companies stop hiring undocumented workers , the tide of illegal immigration will stop . No jobs , why come here ? Of course we will simultaneously need to revamp the visa program , allowing for a drastic increase of temporary , unskilled labor visas for agricultural jobs and the like which the American labor market will not fill . Once again , the enforcement is key here . If businesses face crippling fines , they won ' t hire workers with expired visas . Workers will return home after visa expiration because they can ' t find a job . This solution would save us from building a ridiculous wall , preserve law and order and stem the tide of illegal immigration while simultaneously saving tax dollars from the crippling cost of massive deportation and construction costs . Now ask yourself why no one is doing it . It ' s a simple compromise that both parties would benefit from but ultimately our bought and paid for politicians will never support something which penalizes their corporate donors . If you really want immigration reform you must demand your representatives Crack down costs on corporations and propose truly comprehensive immigration reform that is more than a bandaid . Edit I forgot that minimum wage must be preserved for citizens and longterm visa holders only . We would face massive inflation if unskilled labor has to abide by current minimum wage laws . Yes , current unskilled laborers make a pittance compared to what we think of as a living wage yet they still come . Why ? Because those wages and jobs are still better than their options in their homeland . Since their visa status specifically states they are short term workers , they can earn current wages which benefit them in their home countries while not crippling the US economy in the process . No liberals won ' t like it but it ' s the only solution that will preserve current inflation rates and it is fair when you consider the living wages in the countries the people reside in .