U.S. to Ban Slave Labor Imports

Congress approved a law banning U.S. imports of items produced by slave labor, closing an 85-year-old legal loophole. Seafood that was caught and processed by enslaved workers—sometimes locked in cages—has reportedly been shipped to stores like Wal-Mart and Whole Foods. (Those companies have officially noted that they condemn labor abuse.) The U.S. Tariff Act, signed in 1930, included an exemption allowing goods made by slaves into the country if demand couldn’t be otherwise met. President Obama is expected to sign the corrective bill this week, preventing various clothing items and gold from being legally brought to the United States. “It’s an outrage this loophole persisted for so long. No product made by people held against their will, or by children, should ever be imported to the United States,” said Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden.