The de minimis customs provision that allows for goods priced under $800 to come into the U.S. duty free is full of risks, and an open door for “controlled substances and all sorts of contraband,” Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Tuesday.
While we appreciate Secretary Mayorkas’s acknowledgement that the de minimis loophole is a serious risk and undermines the U.S. government’s efforts to enforce the UFLPA, we have yet to see substantive action from the Biden administration to close this dangerous loophole.
The laws have not changed to make duty-free de minimis shipping any more difficult, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is starting to get proactive.
The U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee for International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness took a one-sided view on the de minimis exemption in a hearing on Tuesday, rejecting anything but technocratic changes to the global duty-free rule for small packages priced under $800.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the Coalition to Close the De Minimis Loophole, representing diverse American voices and millions of people committed to fix the de minimis crisis—from the families of victims of fentanyl fatalities, law enforcement, drug prevention organizations and nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations, including labor unions, manufacturers, business associations and consumer safety advocacy…
In 2022, during the last Congress, House Democrats passed the Import Security and Fairness Act, which would deny de minimis treatment for all Chinese merchandise.
At a time when China continues its attempts to decimate American manufacturers and workers through predatory trade activity, Chairman Jason Smith’s leadership on trade issues has been a welcome improvement over previous chairs that have rubber stamped failed free trade programs.
USTR Katherine Tai sat for a two hours-plus hearing with the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday to discuss trade matters and was met early on by some staunch criticism.
There is growing bipartisan support for taking action, and CPA is proud to join with more than two dozen organizations representing thousands of voices that support closing the de minimis loophole.
The Coalition to Close the De Minimis Loophole launched today, representing thousands of voices, from the families of victims of fentanyl fatalities and nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations to labor unions, domestic law enforcement associations, domestic manufacturers, and business associations.
