An extreme case but not unlike the ‘dreamers’ situation. They have had years to apply for, study for, and acquire USA citizenship. Not having done so is on them.
People keep saying that they “had years to apply for citizenship and legal status etc.”. In reality, if you are in the country illegally, you don’t have “years to apply for citizenship” based on being in the country for 35 years. You can only apply for permanent residence and citizenship if you have entered the country legally on some type of temporary visa.