DHS Funding Adds Nearly $20 Million to Forced Labor Enforcement

The funding package that is expected to pass Congress later this week adds $19,968,000 in funding for DHS to detect and detain goods produced with forced labor over the amount in last year's budget. The funding, which is meant to be spent before the end of September this year, dedicates $114.5 million annually to enforcing the ban on the importation of goods made with forced labor.

The additional appropriations for forced labor enforcement in CBP's Office of Trade are even more than what the White House asked for -- $10,534,000 more -- according to a summary from appropriators. Overall, the Office of Trade will have $423,587,000 in funding, up $30,797,000 from the fiscal year that ended last September. Funding since then has been at the same level as last year, through continuing resolutions.

The spending bill also gives $19,968,000 worth of additional funding to CBP to hire 150 officers at ports of entry "to reduce wait times for people and goods entering the U.S.," the summary said.

"More personnel will help stop the flow of illicit and counterfeit items," appropriators said.

The bill directs the agency to classify the smuggling of illicit drugs in low-value packages under the de minimis threshold "as an additional priority trade issue under section 117 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015."

It also grants more than $400 million to CBP to buy non-intrusive inspection equipment to screen passenger vehicles at ports of entry, "since passenger vehicles are the primary means by which fentanyl is brought into the U.S. This funding will also expand CBP’s outbound operations on the southwest border with dedicated outbound capabilities to stop the flow of currency, firearms, and other contraband resulting from the sale of fentanyl," the summary said. That is $10 million more for non-intrusive inspection equipment than in fiscal year 2023.