An immigration think tank has released a study that questions the United States' immigration policy.

The Center for Immigration Studies has released the report titled 'Trends in Immigrant and Native Employment.' The study explored how immigrants and natives are faring in the economic recession. It found that immigrant unemployment, both legal and illegal, was higher in the first quarter of 2009 than at any time since 1994. The study did not break down the rates between illegal and legal immigrants, but co-author Dr. Steven Camarota says roughly a third of all immigrant workers are illegal.

Camarota believes the study's findings certainly call into question the wisdom of continually admitting so many immigrant workers.

'We're on track this year to allow in maybe a million, a million-and-a-half new work authorizations of temporary and permanent immigrants,' he notes. 'And the question is, should we change our policies in order to adjust to the new economic reality?'

The high unemployment figures among immigrants also debunk the arguments for granting amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, Camarota adds.

'The available evidence suggests that now unemployment for illegal immigrants is probably over ten percent; it's probably closer to fifteen percent,' he suggests. 'So the idea that we are desperately short of unskilled workers just simply doesn't make sense anymore.'

Camarota says while this would seem to be an ideal time to enforce the law and encourage illegal aliens to go home, the government is not doing that.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The CIS study, 'Trends in Immigrant and Native Employment,' is available online at: http://cis.org/FirstQuarter2009Unemployment



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