The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated three companies to a growing list accused by the Biden administration of forced labor practices in the Xinjiang region of China.

In accordance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), an interagency task force was formed with the DHS as chair. The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force now has designated 27 companies in China. The DHS published the revised UFLPA entity list as an appendix in a Federal Register notice Wednesday.

Goods produced by Xinjiang Zhongtai Group, Xinjiang Tianshan Wool Textile, and Xinjiang Tianmian Foundation Textile will be restricted from entering the United States, the DHS said in a press release Tuesday. The three companies combine to produce, manufacture, and sell textile, chemical, and building materials, including cashmere, wool, and yarn, among other products.

“We do not tolerate companies that use forced labor that abuse the human rights of individuals in order to make a profit,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in the release.

The DHS noted companies must provide proof to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through clear and convincing evidence that goods were not produced with forced labor. Since the CBP began enforcing the UFLPA, more than 5,000 shipments have been reviewed, with approximately 43 percent being denied, according to the UFLPA’s latest statistics.

In August, the DHS updated its strategy to prevent the importation of goods mined, produced, or manufactured with forced labor in China, specifically addressing resources needed to achieve compliance and coordination and cooperation with necessary stakeholders.

Jeff Dale is Managing Editor, Editorial Projects and Analytics, at Compliance Week. He previously served as Compliance Week's Digital Editor and has worked as a copy editor at the Boston Herald and city editor at The Hour Publishing Co. in Norwalk, Conn.View full Profile

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