US Congress urges Border Patrol action on forced labor allegations

Members of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee has sent a letter urging customs officials to “immediately take aggressive enforcement actions” regarding polysilicon products entering the United States from Xinjiang, China.

The letter to acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner Troy Miller was dated June 10 and has been signed by two dozen members of the congressional tax writing committee.

The letter complained that the agency has been slow in following up on forced labor allegations and “has yet to take a single enforcement action.” The letter said that customs officials had received allegations in late 2020 and suggested “imminent enforcement action” three months ago. “We believe it is time to act,” the letter said.

The letter said that enough evidence exists to trigger action under Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1307). It called on the customs agency to take “strong action.” Section 307 bars the importation of goods made by convict labor or forced labor.