June 13, 2024 — Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of three People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based seafood, aluminum, and footwear companies to the Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. Through these actions, DHS is increasing its focus on seafood, aluminum, and shoes—sectors that play an important role in Xinjiang’s economy – and ensuring goods made with forced labor are kept out of the U.S. market.
Effective June 12, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by these entities will be prohibited from entering the United States. By identifying entities found to utilize and/or facilitate the forced labor of Uyghurs and other persecuted groups from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), the UFLPA Entity List provides companies with more information about the potential involvement of forced labor in their supply chains.
The entities being added to the UFLPA Entity List today include Dongguan Oasis Shoes Co., Ltd. (also known as Dongguan Oasis Shoe Industry Co., Ltd.; Dongguan Luzhou Shoes Co., Ltd.; and Dongguan Lvzhou Shoes Co., Ltd.), Shandong Meijia Group Co., Ltd. (also known as Rizhao Meijia Group), and Xinjiang Shenhuo Coal and Electricity Co., Ltd.
“The Department of Homeland Security will not tolerate forced labor in U.S. supply chains and will enforce our laws across all industries and sectors,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “We will continue to investigate companies that use or facilitate forced labor and will hold those entities responsible. We urge stakeholders across industry, civil society and our international partners to work with us to eliminate the scourge of forced labor.”
The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), chaired by DHS, is taking these steps as part of the United States’ commitment to eradicating forced labor, and promoting accountability for the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.