That's inaccurate. Illegal presence greater than 6 months and less than a year subjects a departing alien to a 3 year bar on re-entry absent a waiver. Illegal presence for longer than a year ups that to a 10 year bar. There are also lifetime bars on re-entry but they are reserved for much narrower and more egregious violations, like election fraud, aiding terrorism and so on.
You are correct, my recollection was faulty. However, the lifetime bar is not that narrow. It applies if you are present illegally for more than a year (or are ordered deported regardless of length of stay) and then leave and (attempt to) re-enter illegally again. So anyone long-term present in the country illegally who has ever left and come back would in principle be subject to this. That is at least my impression, but I'm only an immigrant, not an immigration lawyer...
