U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande, a coffee farm in Mexico. Effective immediately, all U.S. ports of entry will detain shipments of coffee produced by the farm.
“This action reminds us why CBP’s enforcement mission matters,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. “This work protects vulnerable workers from exploitation and ensures companies cannot gain an unfair advantage by abusing human rights. By detaining these coffee products at our ports of entry, CBP is keeping goods made with forced labor out of U.S. commerce.”
The WRO was issued due to violations of 19 U.S.C. § 1307, which prohibits the importation of goods made with forced labor into the United States. This is the first WRO issued in 2026 and the third for Fiscal Year 2026.
CBP based its decision on evidence collected during an investigation, including interview transcripts, questionnaires, reports from international organizations and NGOs, as well as media sources. The evidence indicated that workers at Finca Monte Grande experienced six indicators of forced labor defined by the International Labour Organization: abuse of vulnerability, withholding wages, retention of identity documents, excessive overtime, debt bondage, and abusive working and living conditions.
CBP determined there is reasonable suspicion that forced labor practices are taking place at Finca Monte Grande and that their products are being imported into the United States.
“The message is clear: if you profit from forced labor, you lose access to the U.S. market,” said Susan S. Thomas, Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Trade. “CBP’s actions protect American workers and businesses that compete fairly and play by the rules.”
With this order against Finca Monte Grande, CBP now oversees enforcement of 55 WROs and nine Findings under 19 U.S.C. § 1307.
Importers whose shipments are detained can choose to destroy or export them or attempt to prove that their merchandise was not produced using forced labor.
Allegations about imports produced with forced labor can be reported through CBP’s Forced Labor Allegation Portal.
CBP describes itself as America’s frontline law enforcement organization responsible for protecting national security and economic prosperity through border management operations involving more than 67,000 personnel across various domains.
