Key facts
- The U.S. Administration has lifted a 2022 import ban on Dominican sugar company Central Romana Corp.
- The ban was initially imposed due to allegations of forced labor and human trafficking.
- Labor rights groups argue that the company has not made significant improvements to its labor practices.
- Central Romana is part-owned by the Fanjul family, which has political ties to Donald Trump.
- The company made substantial political donations, including to a PAC supporting Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
The U.S. Administration has quietly lifted an import ban on Dominican sugar company Central Romana Corp., which had been in place since 2022 due to allegations of forced labor and human trafficking. The decision, reported on March 19, 2025, by The New York Times, has drawn criticism from labor rights groups who argue that the company has failed to make significant improvements to its labor practices.
Central Romana, whose sugar is sold under brands like Domino, is part-owned by the Fanjul family, which has political ties to Donald Trump. Reports indicate the company spent millions on political donations and lobbying efforts to regain access to U.S. markets, including a $1 million donation to a political action committee supporting Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
Workers on Central Romana's plantations are predominantly of Haitian ancestry, many of whom lack regular legal status and face exploitative conditions, including inadequate housing, low pay, and intimidation. A 2023 report from the U.S. Department of Labor acknowledged some improvements since the ban was enacted but concluded they were insufficient to justify its removal. U.S. Customs and Border Protection modified the "withhold release order," now listing it as "inactive," despite the continued concerns raised by human and labor rights organizations.