Trump Administration Proposes Tariffs on 59 Countries Over Forced Labor Concerns

The Trump administration unveiled a new tariff proposal targeting 59 countries and the European Union under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, citing widespread failure to restrict imports of goods produced by forced labor. Trade Representative Jameison Greer stated that this creates an unfair competitive dynamic for American workers. Forced labor remains a pervasive global issue despite near-universal ratification of International Labour Organization conventions, with current estimates indicating 27.6 million victims daily and $236 billion in annual illegal profits. The U.S. has some of the world's strictest forced labor legislation, including Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act targeting Xinjiang imports. However, a 2025 Homeland Security report found that the U.S. accounts for a disproportionately large share of global imports of at-risk goods—23 percent by value despite representing only 13 percent of all global imports. Congressional reviews have highlighted significant enforcement challenges, including fraud in the import process, e-commerce expansion, and limited supply chain traceability technologies.