Fact Sheet: Establishing Enhanced Collection and Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties and Violations of Trade and Customs Laws

"The Executive Order signed on March 31, 2017, promotes the efficient and effective administration of U.S. customs and trade laws by establishing enhanced measures to collect duties and a heightened enforcement posture for addressing trade violations that threaten the safety and economic security of the United States.

The United States must ensure a level playing field for U.S. industries and to protect against unfair competition and practices from foreign governments when importing goods.  To do this, the United States imposes additional duties, called antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD), determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce), on certain imported goods to offset unfair low prices and foreign government subsidies.  The United States also imposes appropriate bonding requirements on entries of articles subject to AD/CVD when necessary to protect the revenue of the United States.  However, the evasion of AD/CVD on imports into the United States and other trade violations may cause U.S. industries to suffer from unfair import competition and deprive the U.S. government of revenue.  

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, $14 billion of imported goods were subject to AD/CVD, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collected $1.5 billion in AD/CVD cash deposits.  CBP’s collection of AD/CVD cash deposits increased over 25 percent since FY 2015 and by almost 200 percent since FY 2014.  As of the end of FY 2016, $2.8 billion of AD/CVD duties were owed to the U.S. government for imports going back to 2001.

The executive order aligns with CBP’s operational approach to combating U.S. trade violations by detecting, deterring, and disrupting illicit trade practices, and by enhancing U.S. economic competitiveness and security..."

Antidumpting and trade

Privacy Impact Assessment for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection

"The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is conducting the 1:1 Facial Recognition Air Entry Pilot to allow Customs and Border Protection Officers stationed at air ports of entry to use facial recognition technology as a tool to assist them in determining whether an individual presenting themselves with a valid U.S. electronic passport is the same individual photographed in that passport. The operational goals of this pilot are to determine the viability of facial recognition as a technology to assist Customs Border Patrol Officers in identifying possible imposters using U.S. e-passports to enter the United States and determine if facial recognition technology can be incorporated into current CBP entry processing with acceptable impacts to processing time and the traveling public while effectively providing CBPOs with a tool to counter imposters using valid U.S. travel documents. CBP is publishing this Privacy Impact Assessment to evaluate the privacy risks of using facial recognition software at an air port of entry..."
facial recognition at airports

CBP’s[Customs and Border Patrol] 2011 Fiscal Year in Review

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today released year-end data on fiscal year (FY) 2011 border enforcement and management efforts, highlighting trends that reflect the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing the border and facilitating legitimate trade and travel through targeted operations, enhanced partnerships and unprecedented deployment of personnel, technology and infrastructure along the border...

U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions—a key indicator of illegal immigration—decreased to 340,252 in FY 2011, down 53 percent since FY 2008 and one fifth of what they were at their peak in FY 2000. Of these apprehensions, 87,334 people had a record in the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, a law enforcement database of individuals with criminal charges and convictions..."

CBP's Handling of Unaccompanied Alien Children
"The Department ofHomeland Security (DHS) Office ofInspector General (OIG) was
established by the Homeland Security Act of2002 (Public Law 107-296) by amendment
to the Inspector General Act of1978. This is one of a series ofaudit, inspection, and
special reports prepared as part of our oversight responsibilities to promote economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness within the department.

This report addresses Customs and Border Protection's compliance with the Flores
Settlement Agreement in the treatment ofunaccompanied alien children in its custody. It
is based on interviews with employees and officials ofrelevant agencies, direct
observations, and a review of applicable documents..."

Cargo Targeting and Examinations
"Section 809(g) of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-293) requires the Office of Inspector General to submit an annual report on its evaluation of the current targeting system for international intermodal cargo containers. The Customs and Border Protection is responsible for operation of the targeting system and conducting cargo examinations. This is our fifth audit on selected aspects of the Automated Targeting System. The purpose of this audit was to evaluate selected aspects of the Automated Targeting System, to determine their effectiveness in assisting the agency in detecting potential acts of terrorism, and to identify actions needed to improve the targeting of high-risk containers for inspection.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection could improve its record retention processes to support decisions made to waive or inspect high-risk shipments. Of the 391 shipments identified as high-risk and selected for review, 57 did not have enough documentation to support the decisions that were made. Therefore, there was no means of substantiating that officers properly or consistently followed procedures in waiving or examining shipments to keep dangerous goods from entering U.S. commerce.
Guidance on how to conduct and record physical examinations..."