CBP quietly let in Central Romana's sugar after a forced-labor ban, citing unnamed sources
In November 2022, CBP issued a Withhold Release Order on Central Romana Corporation's sugar after identifying five ILO forced-labor indicators. On March 17, 2025, CBP modified the order, allowing the company's sugar into the US; WLRN reports the change appeared on CBP's website without announcement. CBP said the decision followed 'documented improvements to labor standards, verified by independent sources' but declined to name them. Labor groups, including Corporate Accountability Lab, say conditions had not meaningfully improved. OpenSecrets data cited by WLRN show the Fanjul Corp., which partly owns Central Romana, gave $1 million to a pro-Trump PAC and $413,000 to the RNC in 2024; the sources do not establish a link between the donations and the decision.
The Trump administration modified the withhold release order on Monday, March 17, 2025... CBP claimed the decision followed 'documented improvements to labor standards, verified by independent sources' but declined to disclose those sources. A December 2023 survey found: 'Nearly every person interviewed...stated that if they were able to leave, they would.'
CBP Modifies WRO on Dominican Sugar Company With Ties to Trump Administration.
Corporate Accountability Lab: "We haven't seen a significant enough change to warrant modification." Workers delivered a letter to the U.S. Embassy in July 2024 demanding the WRO remain in place.
Effective November 23, 2022, CBP personnel at all U.S. ports of entry began detaining raw sugar and sugar-based products produced by Central Romana Corporation Limited... CBP identified five of the ILO's forced labor indicators: abuse of vulnerability, isolation, withholding of wages, abusive working and living conditions, and excessive overtime.
Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.
Called the report 'riddled with inaccuracies and untruths' and said it had not violated local laws or international labor standards.
Corporate Accountability Lab released a report finding forced labor persists on Central Romana's plantations and urged the US to reinstate the import ban. Source ↗