Establishment of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force Under Section 741 of the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act
Creates a multi-agency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security, to monitor U.S. enforcement of the federal ban on importing goods made with forced labor, as required by the USMCA trade agreement's implementing legislation.
What this order does
What it orders
The order establishes the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to monitor U.S. enforcement of the prohibition on importing goods produced with forced labor under section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The Task Force is chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security and includes representatives from the Departments of State, Treasury, Justice, and Labor, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The Chair may also invite other agencies to participate as members or observers.
The Task Force makes decisions by consensus; if consensus cannot be reached and further delay would be harmful, decisions are made by majority vote, with the Chair holding a tiebreaker. Each participating agency bears its own expenses, and the order does not create any individually enforceable legal rights.
Who it affects
Federal agencies represented on the Task Force — including the Departments of Homeland Security, State, Treasury, Justice, and Labor, and the U.S. Trade Representative — whose staff and resources are directed toward forced labor import enforcement. Importers of goods potentially made with forced labor are the regulated community.
Why it matters
Businesses importing goods risk heightened federal scrutiny under a coordinated multi-agency enforcement mechanism for the forced labor import ban. A unified task force structure means enforcement actions under the USMCA implementing law will involve coordinated decisions across trade, law enforcement, and diplomatic agencies.
What must happen and when
How the order is supposed to work
The Task Force operates under the DHS Secretary as Chair, with member agencies sending designated officers and providing supporting staff. Decisions on enforcement actions under USMCA sections 742–744 are made first by consensus (no objection required), and if consensus fails and further delay would be harmful, by majority vote. The Chair can break ties. There is no central funding pool — each agency absorbs its own costs, and implementation is subject to available appropriations.