The United States added 43 companies based in China to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, a key tool in preventing the importation into the United States of goods made with slave labor. The UFLPA, enacted in 2021, aims to prevent goods tainted by forced labor of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China from entering the U.S. market.
The newly listed entities are connected to the production and sale of goods made in Xinjiang or with the forced labor of Uyghurs and other groups specified in the UFLPA, and include seafood, gold, copper, transportation infrastructure, aluminum, tomatoes, cotton, garments, and frozen food, among others. These additions bring the total number of entities on the UFLPA Entity List to 187.
Forced labor distorts markets and allows foreign actors to abuse the global trading system. Through the expansion of the UFLPA Entity List, President Donald Trump is taking action to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains, restoring a fair market for Americans while reducing instances of forced labor worldwide. “The United States expects our trading partners around the world to enact and enforce similar laws prohibiting goods made with forced labor,” the State Department said in a statement.
Since enactment of the UFLPA, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has denied entry to more than 24,300 shipments pursuant to this expanded authority, valued at nearly $1 billion, blocking illicit goods from reaching U.S. markets.
Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, and the FLETF remain dedicated to ensuring that goods made with forced labor are prohibited from importation into the United States. By holding foreign businesses accountable for their inhumane and unfair practices, the U.S. is also creating a level playing field for American workers and manufacturers. These additions to the Entity List demonstrate the United States’ commitment to strengthening its economic and national security by keeping illicit goods out of its markets.
“The Trump Administration remains steadfast in its commitment to remove forced labor from U.S. supply chains and to holding foreign companies accountable for their exploitation,” said DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, & Plans Rob Law, who serves as the Chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. “We are uncompromising in the continued prevention of unfair practices that undermine American businesses – expansion of the UFLPA Entity List is a tool by which DHS can ensure both our economic and national security.”