Rights Group Urges US to Reinstate Sugar Import Ban Over Dominican Labor Abuses

A human rights organization has released a report detailing the persistence of forced labor on large sugarcane plantations in the Dominican Republic, a major supplier to the United States. The Corporate Accountability Lab conducted a three-year investigation into working conditions on properties owned by Central Romana Corporation, the country's largest employer and landowner.

The report alleges that workers face withheld wages, abusive living conditions, and excessive overtime. It notes that the company's owners have connections to US political figures, including President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Fanjul family, based in Florida, is listed as an owner and operates Florida Crystals.

US Customs and Border Protection previously investigated Central Romana, leading to a 2022 import ban on its sugar products. That ban was reversed last year. The new report urges the US government to reinstate the restriction, arguing that current policy is complicit in labor abuses.

Local groups estimate that up to 8,000 workers labor across more than 173,700 acres of sugarcane fields. Many are Haitian migrants or their descendants, some of whom lack Dominican citizenship. Workers have long reported being underpaid and forced to live in cramped housing without basic utilities. One unidentified worker said, "Why would we stay? This way we are their slaves."

The report calls on Central Romana to enroll workers in the social security system, pay at least the minimum wage, and allow independent union membership. It also urges the Dominican government to regularize the immigration status of recruited workers and enforce labor laws. The company responded that the report is "riddled with inaccuracies and untruths," denying violations of local laws or international standards.