Ana Hinojosa

Ana Hinojosa, then Executive Director at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, speaks with Earth Live about one of the most powerful tools in trade enforcement: the withhold release order.

In 2020, CBP issued a withhold release order against Malaysian palm oil company Sime Darby based on evidence of forced labor in its operations. Hinojosa walks through how these orders work, the investigation process, and what it means when goods are blocked from entering the United States. The case set a significant precedent for using trade enforcement to address human rights abuses in global supply chains.

The interview offers a rare inside look at how customs agencies are increasingly becoming frontline actors in the fight against forced labor and environmental crime, and what companies need to do to ensure their supply chains can withstand scrutiny.