The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), recently released an updated strategy to prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor in China. This strategy builds on two years of UFLPA enforcement and aims to remove forced labor from U.S. supply chains. The FLETF has identified new high-priority sectors for enforcement: aluminum, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and seafood. These sectors pose a higher risk of forced labor, particularly involving Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

The FLETF also continues to prioritize apparel, cotton products, silica-based items including polysilicon, and tomatoes and downstream products. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas emphasized the commitment to eradicating forced labor by enforcing customs laws, supporting economic fairness, and safeguarding human rights. The UFLPA Strategy outlines a multi-pronged approach to combating forced labor, including strong enforcement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and collaboration with stakeholders. Recently, DHS added three new entities to the UFLPA Entity List, restricting goods from 68 PRC-based companies. With the designation of new high-priority sectors, the FLETF will prioritize enforcement actions to curtail economic incentives for forced labor and keep such goods out of U.S. markets.

Click here to see the Department of Homeland Security full Press Release.