To establish deterrence against illegal re-entry, you really need custodial sentences. Given the big stink over an American teenage vandal getting flogged by the Singaporean government for vandalism during the Clinton era, I thought I’d look up its penalty for illegal immigration. I can’t know for sure whether it works, but it’s no revolving door. And then there’s the flogging.
Re-entry after removal is a criminal offense classified as a felony under 8 USC 1326. The sentencing guidelines depend on the prior criminal history of the removed alien and are greatly increased if the alien is a prior convicted felon. Generally, aliens removed on one occasion are initially charged with the felony and it is often reduced to a misdemeanor under 8 USC 1325 which covers criminal illegal entry.