The U.S. filed a customs penalty lawsuit on Sept. 22 at the Court of International Trade against importer Rayson Global and its owner Doris Cheng, seeking a nearly $3.4 million penalty related to evaded antidumping and Section 301 duties on uncovered mattress innersprings from China. The complaint says the imports were transshipped from China through Thailand to avoid the duties (United States v. Rayson Global, CIT # 23-00201).

Texas Department of Public Safety inspections are causing delays at the ports of Eagle Pass and El Paso/Ysleta Bridge, but Southern border ports remain open for commercial processing despite an influx of migrants (see 2109200028), with the exception of rail at Eagle Pass, according to an email from a CBP official sent out by the Laredo Licensed U.S. Customs Broker Association.

Texas Department of Public Safety inspections are causing delays at the ports of Eagle Pass and El Paso/Ysleta Bridge, but Southern border ports remain open for commercial processing despite an influx of migrants (see 2109200028), with the exception of rail at Eagle Pass, according to an email from a CBP official sent out by the Laredo Licensed U.S. Customs Broker Association.

Two members of the trade community expressed concern about recommendations adopted on de minimis by the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee at the COAC meeting on Sept. 20. The working group made eight recommendations at the COAC meeting after only having met for the first time on Aug. 22 (see 2309120060), and the two officials cited both the pace of the recommendations, as well as the make up of the group that wrote them.

CBP should create a new alert in ACE when importers of merchandise potentially subject to antidumping and countervailing duties may be required to submit a certification that their goods are not subject merchandise, the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee said in a recommendation adopted at its quarterly public meeting on Sept. 20.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, is circulating a joint statement for signature by other trade groups that advocates for keeping "all avenues of international trade" open in the event of a government shutdown if Congress doesn't agree to a funding bill by Sept. 30.

International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

CBP New York/Newark sent an informational pipeline Sept. 18 to customs brokers, carriers and others reiterating mandatory manifest, cargo delivery and Advance Air Cargo Screening program data requirements, in response to a “smuggling technique” CBP “has identified.” CBP said smugglers have used a master carton “to conceal contraband in smaller packages contained within. The smaller packages were pre-affixed with domestic labels and were attempted to be introduced into the domestic stream once deconsolidated. These packages were either unmanifested or mismanifested,” the pipeline said.

California legislators voted to require wireless eligibility for state broadband funds on the last day of their session Thursday. Wireless is a “reliable substitute … when it’s impossible to use fiber,” said Assembly Communications Committee Vice Chair Jim Patterson (R) in an interview Friday. The Utility Reform Network (TURN) prefers fiber and remains opposed.

CBP posted the following documents ahead of the Sept. 20 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting: