U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is excited to announce the release of its new Forced Labor Enforcement Operational Guidance for Importers. This updated document provides a consolidated overview of the three authorities CBP uses to prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor into the United States in a single, accessible document:

• 19 U.S.C. § 1307
• Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
• Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). 

The updated guidance introduces significant enhancements that give importers greater transparency across CBP’s enforcement landscape, including:

• New enforcement process maps covering UFLPA, Withhold Release Order (WRO), Finding, and CAATSA actions in a single document.
• New, dedicated sections on the WRO/Finding and CAATSA enforcement processes providing step-by-step guidance on what importers can expect and how to respond to detentions or exclusions.
• Additional appendices covering recommended supply chain documentation for high-priority sectors, practical UFLPA due diligence examples, and sample detention and exclusion notices related to UFLPA, WRO, and CAATSA as well as Notices of Redelivery and Certificate of Origin.

Importers are encouraged to review this new guidance and conduct due diligence of their suppliers prior to importing goods. 

The Forced Labor Enforcement Operational Guidance for Importers is available at https://www.cbp.gov/document/guides/cbp-forced-labor-enforcement-operational-guidance-importers.

If you have any questions, please contact ForcedLabor@cbp.dhs.gov.