Alejandro Mayorkas United States Secretary of Homeland Security | Official Website
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), has released an updated Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Strategy to prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor in China. This strategy builds on two years of enforcement under the UFLPA and DHS's broader efforts to remove forced labor from U.S. supply chains.
This year’s strategy identifies aluminum, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and seafood as new high-priority sectors for enforcement, due to their higher risk of involving forced labor or state labor transfer of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities from Xinjiang. The FLETF continues to designate apparel, cotton products, silica-based products including polysilicon, and tomatoes as high-priority sectors.
“Forced labor is a form of modern slavery, and the Department of Homeland Security is committed to eradicating it from our supply chains,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The updated Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Strategy and new high-priority sectors for enforcement announced today reflect the evolving and expanding scope of those who seek to circumvent the law and profit off the exploitation of abused people."
Originally published in June 2022, the UFLPA Strategy outlines a multi-pronged approach to combating forced labor in global supply chains. This year’s updates highlight significant advancements through several initiatives including strong enforcement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); expansion of the UFLPA Entity List; new high priority sectors; and greater collaboration with stakeholders.
With these new designations, entities in these sectors will be prioritized for various enforcement actions: inclusion on the UFLPA Entity List, export limitations, economic sanctions, and visa restrictions. Identifying high priority sectors also helps importers focus their due diligence efforts on relevant supply chains.
“We are committed to expanding our enforcement of the UFLPA to keep goods made with forced labor out of U.S. markets,” said Robert Silvers, Under Secretary for Policy and Chair of FLETF.
“Two years into the implementation of UFLPA, CBP and DHS efforts are making an impact against the scourge of forced labor," said Troy A. Miller, CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of Commissioner. "Thus far, CBP has denied entry to nearly 3,500 such shipments valued at over $695 million."
The strategy aligns with President Biden's memorandum signed in November 2023 on advancing worker empowerment globally—a whole-of-government approach that elevates labor rights abroad.
DHS and FLETF remain dedicated to upholding fair labor standards while supporting American workers in a fair global marketplace. The United States will continue collaborating with stakeholders from trade communities, civil society, labor organizations, and international partners to eradicate forced labor from supply chains.
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