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Issues Withhold Release Order and Two Forced Labor Findings on Companies Exploiting Workers
WASHINGTON - Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a new Withhold Release Order and two new forced labor Findings. By barring goods produced with forced labor from entering the United States, the Department is playing a critical role in protecting human rights and enforcing international labor standards. This week, Secretary Mayorkas also announced that he has designated the DHS Chief Procurement Officer as the Department's Senior Accountable Official to prevent forced labor and other forms of human trafficking in all DHS contracts and acquisitions.
"The dedicated CBP workforce has again taken significant action to combat forced labor and protect the human rights of workers around the world," "Today's Withhold Release Order and Forced Labor Findings are another important step toward ending these abhorrent practices. We will continue to leverage all of our authorities and resources to bar goods produced with forced labor from entering the United States, and with my designation earlier this week of a Senior Accountable Official to prevent human trafficking in DHS contracts, we are leading efforts to ensure that no taxpayer dollars are ever used to purchase goods or services that rely on forced labor."
"CBP is entering the new year with a renewed commitment to investigating and enforcing the U.S. prohibition against importing goods made with forced labor," "We will again dedicate significant resources to rooting out the evil and inhumane practices of forced labor."
Effective today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and import specialists at all U.S. ports of entry will detain disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by YTY Industry Holdings Sdn
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WASHINGTON - Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas released the following statement on National Human Trafficking Prevention Month:
"Human trafficking is an abhorrent crime that impacts an estimated 25 million people, here in the United States and abroad. Victims too often suffer in silence and perpetrators are too seldom brought to justice. National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is a time to reaffirm the Department's commitment to seeing those victims, hearing their stories, and preventing the horrific acts of human trafficking before they occur. We will bring the full weight of the Department of Homeland Security - our resources and our dedicated personnel - to identify and protect victims and to investigate and arrest perpetrators.
"Across DHS, our tremendous professionals lead this work each day.
The DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking leverages the resources of 16 DHS Agencies and Offices to combat both sex trafficking and forced labor. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents investigate these crimes and help prosecute the perpetrators. The HSI Victim Assistance Program supports victims with critical emergency assistance and connects victims with non-governmental organizations that provide short- and long-term direct services. U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigates allegations of forced labor in U.S. supply chains and bars goods made with forced labor from entering the country. The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers educates law enforcement about the indicators of trafficking and best practices for supporting victims and bringing perpetrators to justice. We raise awareness about these heinous crimes through our signature public awareness and education campaign, the DHS Blue Campaign, and our partnerships with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, businesses, airlines
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WASHINGTON - Today marks the first anniversary of the creation of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT). The CCHT, led by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), is a DHS-wide effort dedicated to bringing human traffickers to justice, protecting victims of sex trafficking and forced labor, and preventing these terrible crimes from occurring.
In recognition of the CCHT and to continue to advance its critical work, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas directed DHS components to incorporate a victim-centered approach into all policies, programs, and activities governing DHS interactions with victims of crime.
"The victim-centered approach is critical to the work of the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking and to the Department's fight against all crimes involving severe abuse and exploitation," said "Safeguarding, supporting, and respecting victims of human trafficking is not just the right thing to do. It also enables law enforcement to better detect, investigate, and prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking."
DHS also announced a number of new initiatives across components to combat sex trafficking and forced labor:
ICE HSI issued a directive underscoring HSI personnel's responsibility to identify and assist victims of crime. The CCHT launched a new public website at DHS.Gov/CCHT to bring together all DHS anti-human trafficking resources in one easily accessible place. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released the first ever standalone T-Visa Resource Guide for law enforcement and certifying agencies. The T-Visa Resource Guide provides information to certifying agencies, including law enforcement, on how to support victims of human trafficking while law enforceme
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