The United States announced new tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners, citing concerns over inadequate enforcement of bans on goods produced by forced labor. The measures, set to take effect Friday at 12:01 a.m., impose duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on products accounting for approximately 99% of total U.S. imports.

The move follows the expiration of temporary 10% global tariffs that were introduced earlier this year after the Supreme Court invalidated previous broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). With the expiration of those levies, the administration is now relying on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which empowers the president to impose trade sanctions against countries engaging in unfair trade practices.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer emphasized that the United States has enforced a forced labor import ban for nearly a century and urged other nations to uphold similar standards. Some countries, such as India, saw their tariff rates reduced due to recent improvements in enforcement. Certain products, including oil, gas, fertilizer, and those qualifying under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), are exempt from the new duties.

The tariffs have elicited criticism from several quarters. U.S. Representative Richard Neal of Massachusetts described the forced labor rationale as insufficient and warned against using human rights concerns as a pretext for tariff policy based on questionable legal grounds. Brazil, which faces a 12.5% tariff, labeled the U.S. actions as arbitrary and unjustified, announcing plans to invoke reciprocity laws that could lead to retaliatory tariffs and promising to bring the matter before the World Trade Organization. Chile also protested its inclusion, asserting that it maintains robust labor regulations and that the decision contradicts technical, political, and legal evaluations presented during the investigation.

The administration’s broader trade strategy reflects President Donald Trump’s departure from longstanding U.S. policies favoring lower tariffs and freer trade, which began with his first term. His approach has emphasized the use of tariffs to reduce the trade deficit and protect American industries. Nonetheless, this latest round of tariffs risks increasing consumer costs amid already elevated inflation levels, particularly as the country approaches the November midterm elections.

Experts and human rights advocates acknowledge forced labor as a significant global problem. According to the International Labor Organization, an estimated 27.6 million people were subjected to forced labor worldwide in 2021. Some observers see import bans as a potentially effective tool in combating forced labor, though they caution against rapid, blanket implementation without providing countries sufficient time and resources to establish enforceable import bans or compliance mechanisms.

Martina Vandenberg, president of The Human Trafficking Legal Center, suggested a phased approach to ensure meaningful enforcement rather than symbolic measures. Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc expressed a shared commitment to preventing goods produced with forced labor from entering supply chains and indicated ongoing cooperation with the United States.

While the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, enacted in 2021 to restrict imports from China’s Xinjiang region, has already heightened awareness, analysts like Kenya Davis of Boies Schiller Flexner emphasize the need for transparency in investigations and supportive programs to enhance enforcement globally. Isabelle Glimcher of NYU’s Stern Center for Human Rights noted that the tariffs’ focus on imported goods rather than domestically produced ones presents limitations but acknowledged that the threat of tariffs has prompted several countries, including India, to revise policies addressing forced labor.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office continues an investigation into whether overproduction by 16 countries has contributed to unfair trade practices, a probe that could lead to additional tariffs affecting about 70% of U.S. imports in the future.