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On January 29th, 2026 U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced a Withhold Release Order on all shipments of coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande, a Mexican coffee farm in Chiapas, Mexico. Effectively immediately CBP will detain all shipments of coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande at any U.S. Port of Entry for probable forced labor violations.
As a result of CBP investigation into the Finca Monte Grande plantation, evidence demonstrates that workers are subject to 6 of the 11 indicators of forced labor including:
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Abuse of Vulnerability
- Debt Bondage
- Excessive Overtime
- Retention of Identify Documents
- Withholding of Wages
Under 19 U.S.C. § 1307, any good that is produced wholly or in part with forced labor is prohibited from entering the United States and if violations are found, goods are subject to detention and seizure at the time of importation. A 2024 US Department of Labor report found that multiple industries in Mexico engage in child labor and forced labor violations with the agricultural sector being the largest risk. These affected commodities include coffee, melons, sugarcane and other agricultural products.
This is the first issued WRO in 2026 and emphasizes the importance of supply chain tracing by importers to ensure compliance with US regulations, avoiding unnecessary disruptions and costly delays. For more information on implementing due diligence and supply chain management, please feel free to reach out to Crowell & Moring for assistance.
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