6. News Bytes:

Utah lawmaker rolls out bill on illegal immigration

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Utah State Representative Stephen Sandstrom revealed a 12-page bill that would require officers to check the immigration status of anyone detained for a crime or traffic violation if there is ‘reasonable suspicion’ that they are in the country illegally.  He expects the 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver to look more favorably upon the law than the 9^th Circuit Court in San Francisco which which will oversee Arizona’s federal court appeal.

Opponents of the law have said that the measure will do nothing but inflame ‘hatred and fear among Utahans’ and create a hostile environment comparable to Arizona.  Tony Yapias of Proyecto Latino de Utah and other protestors have unsucessfuly appealed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take a stance against the law because it runs counter to the teachings of the faith.  The church, however, has not weighed in on the issue and instead says it is up to political leaders to decide immigration policy.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50101378-76/sandstrom-immigration-bill-state.html.csp

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India threatens WTO dispute over visa regulations

The Washington Times reports that President Obama has signed a bill that raises H-1B and L-1 visa fees on companies that hire a majority of foreign workers and $10 billion in additional taxes on multinational companies with headquarters in the U.S.  $600 million from the increase in visa fees will be used to put more agents and equipment along the Mexican border and the multinational tax will finance an extension of last year’s stimulus bill.

Agence France Presse reports that India has threatened to take the United States to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over its measure to hike visa fees.  India has called the U.S. policy ‘protectionist’ and fears higher fees will harm the country’s larger outsourcing sector.  The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), which represents India’s top software companies, estimates annual U.S. visa costs to rise by at least $200-250 million annually.   India’s trade minister, Shri Anand Sharma, sent a letter to the White House protesting the ‘highly discriminatory law’ as contrary to the rules of the WTO and the General Agreement in Trade in Services (GATS). 

R. Bruce Josten, vice president of government affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce agreed that the legislation could risk adverse impacts on U.S.-based companies and retaliation by affected governments in the WTO or against U.S. companies operating in foreign markets.  Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), who sponsored the legislation, argued that imposing taxes and fees on foreign workers and companies was the best way to raise money and address unemployment and immigration issues.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/12/border-security-measure-sent-to-obama/

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g_ywJRMrVzfYU3fOHA9Y9Lmxu2jg

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U.S. may sue Arizona’s Sheriff Arpaio for not cooperating in investigation

The Washington Post reports that the Department of Justice has threatened to sue Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio if he refuses to cooperate with its civil rights investigation into possible discriminatory practices..  Arpaio also faces an investigation by a federal grand jury in Phoenix into whether he has used his position to intimidate political opponents and whether he his office has misappropriated government funds.  The civil rights investigation began in March 2009 and the grand jury investigation has been underway since January 2010.

Arpaio faces criticism for his highly publicized ‘crime sweeps’ conducted in mostly Hispanic neighborhoods.  He is also accused of performing ‘unconstitutional searches and seizures,’ forcing Hispanic inmates to fill out a ‘citizenship check’ form, and requiring his bilingual jail guards to speak to inmates only in English.

The sheriff’s office has denied requests to turn over documents or meet with investigators and contends that the investigations are politically motivated, citing statements by Attorney General Eric Holder that the inquiries are expected to ‘produce results.’