U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is facing renewed scrutiny after a watchdog group reported that forced labor continues to exist on sugarcane fields in the Dominican Republic. The nation is a significant exporter of sugar and other goods to the United States.
In 2022, CBP had previously banned imports of sugar and other products from Central Romana Corporation, Ltd., citing accusations of worker isolation, wage withholding, and exploitative living and working conditions. However, this ban was lifted last year under the Trump administration.
The nonprofit Corporate Accountability Lab published a report on Tuesday indicating that forced labor conditions persist, based on over three years of investigation. This finding has reignited criticism of the agency's decision to reverse the import ban.
Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, sent a letter to CBP on Thursday, seeking information about the reversal of the ban. Wyden stated that the agency appeared to have "abruptly abandoned its own established administrative procedures." He further asserted that "circumventing standard trade enforcement processes for politically connected, billionaire-owned corporations undermines the integrity of U.S. trade policy."
Wyden requested that CBP provide administrative records, final recommendations, and other relevant documents pertaining to the case. The Associated Press reported that CBP acknowledged an emailed request for comment but had not yet issued a statement.
"Ensuring that U.S. trade enforcement mechanisms are immune from political interference and adhere to statutory requirements is critical to ensuring that forced labor does not illegally enter the supply chain of goods unwittingly bought by American businesses and consumers," Wyden wrote in his letter.