On July 9, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), leading the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), released an updated strategy under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) to combat the importation of goods produced with forced labor in China.
For the first time since 2022, FLETF has identified aluminum, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and seafood as new high-priority sectors for enforcement. These industries were chosen due to their heightened risk of using forced labor or state-mandated labor transfers of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The FLETF continues to prioritize enforcement in the sectors of apparel, cotton and cotton products, silica-based products including polysilicon, and tomatoes and downstream products.
This updated strategy follows DHS’s recent addition of three new entities to the UFLPA Entity List, increasing the total number of China-based companies restricted from entering the U.S. to 68. A DHS fact sheet outlines the impacts of forced labor enforcement efforts and provides updates in the latest UFLPA strategy.
Over the past two years, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has intercepted approximately 3,500 UFLPA-targeted shipments valued at over $695 million, stated Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller in a press release.
