In a new report, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) attempts to blame immigrants for the declining share of native-born teenagers in the United States who join the U.S. labor force during the summer months. However, in its rush to blame immigrants, CIS completely overlooks an even more important factor that has fueled declining labor-force participation rates among U.S. teenagers over the past decade and a half. As the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) notes in a policy memo, a “startling omission” from the CIS report is the fact that school enrollment among teenagers “has dramatically increased, even in the summer. This increase more than makes up for the decline in teen employment.” In other words, many teenagers are staying out of the job market not because immigrants are out-competing them, but because they are getting an education. CIS should be applauding this fact given that education is critical to the eventual labor-market success of U.S. teenagers.
It is noteworthy that, during the panel discussion accompanying the roll out of the CIS report, panelist Lindsay Lowell of Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration pointed to this and a host of other non-immigration-related factors that have probably contributed to falling teen labor-force participation rates. In addition to rising school enrollment rates, Lowell mentioned higher labor-force participation rates among senior citizens, increasing numbers of women taking less-skilled jobs as a result of welfare reform, the “professionalization” of less-skilled jobs such as lawn care and babysitting, and—especially during the current recession—employers favoring out-of-work adults over teenage job applicants. Yet none of these factors receives any mention in the CIS report.
In addition, the CIS report sets up a false comparison between the share of native-born teenagers in seasonal labor markets during the summer months and the share of immigrant workers in general. Yet most immigrant workers are likely filling full-time, year-round jobs—not seasonal, summer-only jobs. A retailer looking for extra help during tourist season might be inclined to hire a teenager looking for three months of summer-only employment. But a fast-food restaurant looking for a year-round cashier wants someone who can work 12 months. In other words, many teenagers may be looking for seasonal jobs, but most immigrants are likely filling year-round jobs. This means that most immigrants are not competing with most native-born teenagers for summer-only jobs.
In the final analysis, the CIS report fails to convincingly back up its claim that “immigration accounts for a significant share of the decline in teen labor force participation.” Given the wide range of other factors that influence teen labor-force participation rates, and the overwhelming impact of rising school enrollment on the numbers of teenagers delaying their entry into the labor force, it seems likely that the impact of immigration on employment opportunities for teenagers is relatively small. But you would never know that from reading the CIS report.
Photo by silverlinedwinnebago.
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4 comments
Nayeli says:
May 12, 2010 at 2:47 pm (UTC -5 )
That is the most ignorant news i have hear, teenagers usually do not care about work.
Even then adults that are working and are either a us citizen or a resident tend to be lazy at work. They usually are injured magically and just start getting EDD and some just look for ways to get fired to get unemployement. They are just lazy people that are tryinig to make excused for their failure. The truth is that immigrants work hard and do not waist time, if that is a reson to blame them for teen unemployement then let it BE.
Rosa says:
May 12, 2010 at 8:26 pm (UTC -5 )
In the process of trying to educate myself on this important subject I have to ask about the effects of illegal immigrants creating their own need. Examples would be in the state offices, schools and medical arenas where we have page after page of open positions which Require the applicant be bilingual. there are 75 current positions with said employers in our little corner of the world that mandate this. how does this not adversely effect the native opinion or jobs
TamGuti says:
May 13, 2010 at 8:02 am (UTC -5 )
Looks like immigrants are the scapegoat for all of our problems. That’s just like our government to divert attention away from the real matter. If I wasn’t rooted here by my family I would leave this country asap. Not many people are as proud to be an American as they use to be. We need a government that is REAL.
Angelina Y. Matias-Vazquez says:
May 13, 2010 at 9:15 am (UTC -5 )
Do not divide minorities. Let’s all unite because our lives depend on us working together to become renewable energy producer, to create jobs for all. To build the green economy together.