U.S. CBP Blocks Imports of Mexican Coffee Over Forced Labour Concerns

· U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande, a coffee farm in Mexico.

· The order is effective immediately and applies at all U.S. ports of entry.

· Coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande will be detained and barred from U.S. commerce.

· The action was taken under 19 U.S.C. § 1307, which prohibits the import of goods made using forced labour.

· This is the first WRO issued in 2026 and the third in Fiscal Year 2026.

· The WRO followed a CBP investigation based on interviews, questionnaires, reports from international organisations and NGOs, and open-source media reports.

· Evidence showed the presence of six ILO indicators of forced labour:

o Abuse of vulnerability

o Withholding of wages

o Retention of identity documents

o Excessive overtime

o Debt bondage

o Abusive working and living conditions

· CBP found reasonable suspicion that forced labour was used and that the coffee is being or is likely to be imported into the U.S.

· CBP receives forced labour allegations from government agencies, NGOs, media, and the public.

· The order reinforces the U.S. stance that companies benefiting from forced labour will lose access to the U.S. market.

· With this action, CBP is now enforcing 55 WROs and nine formal Findings under U.S. forced labour law.

· Importers may either re-export or destroy detained shipments, or prove that the goods were not produced using forced labour.

[ABS News Service/30.01.2026]

Agency will detain imports of coffee harvested with forced labor

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a Withhold Release Order against coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande, a Mexican coffee farm. Effective immediately, CBP at all U.S. ports of entry will detain coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande.

“This action reminds us why CBP’s enforcement mission matters,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. “This work protects vulnerable workers from exploitation and ensures companies cannot gain an unfair advantage by abusing human rights. By detaining these coffee products at our ports of entry, CBP is keeping goods made with forced labor out of U.S. commerce.”

CBP issued this WRO, the first in 2026 and the third in Fiscal Year 2026, due to violations of 19 U.S.C. § 1307, the law prohibiting goods made with forced labor from entering the United States. When CBP has evidence indicating imported goods are made by forced labor, the agency acts to detain those shipments through WROs.

This WRO is the result of a CBP investigation and review of the following supporting evidence: in-depth interview transcripts, interview questionnaires, international organization and nongovernmental organization reports, and open-source news media reports. Taken together, the evidence demonstrated that workers at Finca Monte Grande are subject to six International Labour Organization indicators of forced labor: abuse of vulnerability, withholding of wages, retention of identity documents, excessive overtime, debt bondage, and abusive working and living conditions.

The facts indicate by reasonable suspicion that workers are engaged in forced labor. Additionally, CBP trade import data demonstrates that the goods are being, or are likely to be, imported into the United States. CBP receives allegations of forced labor from a variety of sources including government agencies, media, non-governmental organizations, and members of the public.

“The message is clear: if you profit from forced labor, you lose access to the U.S. market,” said Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Trade Susan S. Thomas. “CBP’s actions protect American workers and businesses that compete fairly and play by the rules.”

The WRO against Finca Monte Grande highlights CBP’s continued efforts to combat forced labor. With this action, CBP now oversees and enforces 55 WROs and nine Findings under 19 U.S.C. § 1307.

Importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export their shipments or seek to demonstrate that the merchandise was not produced with forced labor.