Are immigrants to blame for teen unemployment?

Published on Thu, May 13, 2010

Fewer U.S.-born teenagers are working or looking for summer jobs. Most analysts can agree on this statement.

However, as the summer nears and jobs are scarce, the debate over the factors contributing to the decade-long decline is heating up – especially among activists and analysts embroiled in the immigration movement.

"The decline in teenage employment is very worrisome because a large body of research shows that those who do not work as teenagers often fail to develop the work habits necessary to function in the labor market later in life," said Steven Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies who co-authored a study about the issue.

Published in the O.C. Register | Read Article