U.S. Customs Faces Scrutiny Over Dominican Republic Sugarcane Forced-Labor Allegations

In 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) barred imports of sugar and related products from Central Romana Corporation, Ltd., citing evidence that the company isolated workers, withheld wages, and maintained abusive living conditions. The ban was lifted last year under the Trump administration, prompting criticism from labor-rights advocates who argued the reversal ignored established enforcement procedures.

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Corporate Accountability Lab, a nonprofit watchdog, released a report after more than three years of investigation that asserts forced-labor practices continue on Dominican Republic sugarcane fields supplying the U.S. market. The findings revive concerns that products reaching American consumers may be tainted by exploitation, despite the earlier ban’s removal.

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Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) sent a formal letter to CBP requesting the administrative records, final recommendations, and related documents that justified the ban’s reversal. In the letter, Wyden accused the agency of abandoning its own procedures and warned that political interference could compromise trade integrity.

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CBP acknowledged receipt of the senator’s request via email but has not provided a substantive comment on the allegations or the agency’s decision-making process. The department’s response indicates that it is reviewing the inquiry while no further details have been released.

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• “Circumventing standard trade enforcement processes for politically connected, billionaire-owned corporations undermines the integrity of U.S. trade policy,” — S. Sen. Ron Wyden

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• “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,” — S. Sen. Ron Wyden

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