Final answer:
Immigration by primarily low-skill workers increases the supply of unskilled labor, potentially leading to lower wages and reduced hours for American low-skilled workers, as supported by studies on the labor market's response to immigrant workers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of how immigration by primarily low-skill workers affects American low-skilled workers is deeply entrenched in the dynamics of the labor market and public policy. A significant issue arises when undocumented workers are employed in low-wage positions, which can lead to a fear of job loss among American citizens. This is mainly because the supply of unskilled labor increases with the influx of undocumented immigrants, often resulting in lower wages and reduced hours for domestic low-skilled workers. As research indicates, for instance, a study by Michael S. Clune shows that a 10% rise in the number of employed immigrants with no more than a high school diploma caused high school student workers to reduce their annual work hours by 3%. This disruptive effect of immigration on specific labor markets highlights a crucial challenge for policy-making.