- Trump said his latest round of tariffs was imposed to fight forced labor, yet the US has a widespread forced labor problem, with state-enforced prison labor and no ban on exporting goods made by prisoners.
- In 2023, the US imported $170bn worth of goods at risk of forced labor taint, the most among G20 countries.
- There were 1.1 million people in modern slavery in the US in 2021, a rate of 3.3 per thousand, higher than the Netherlands (0.6) and Britain (1.8).
- The US explicitly prohibits importing forced labor goods, yet the GSI reports no evidence of penalties being enforced.
- 800,000 of the 1.2 million prisoners work, often under threat of punishment. In seven southern states, prison work is unpaid.
- Incarcerated workers produce over $2bn in goods and $9bn in services each year.
- The shifting justifications for Trump's tariffs underscore their baselessness.
Former President Trump has justified recent tariffs as a means to combat forced labor, yet the U.S. faces its own significant issues with modern slavery.12356
1.1 million people in the U.S. were living in modern slavery on any given day in 2021, according to the Global Slavery Index (GSI).
This includes individuals in domestic work, agriculture, construction, retail, hospitality, and illicit activities, amounting to 3.3 forced workers for every thousand people in the population, a higher rate than many countries Trump targets.
In contrast, the Netherlands and Germany report only 0.6 forced workers per thousand, while Britain has 1.8.
The U.S. also allows prison labor, with about 800,000 of the 1.2 million incarcerated individuals working, often under coercive conditions.
In seven southern states, nearly all prison work is unpaid, generating over $2 billion in goods and $9 billion in services annually for the prison system.
Critics argue that Trump's focus on tariffs ignores these domestic realities, highlighting a hypocrisy in his administration's approach to forced labor.
“The shifting justifications alone underscore how Trump’s arguments are bullshit,” one critic noted, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive examination of forced labor within the U.S. itself.
“The US imported $170bn worth of forced labor-tainted goods in 2023, the most in the G20, while 1.1 million people live in modern slavery at a rate of 3.3 per thousand — higher than the Netherlands and Britain. Additionally, 800,000 prisoners work under threat, many unpaid, producing over $2bn in goods.”
The Guardian
