Insights on International Trade & Investment

On September 6, 2024, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) introduced an interim final rule that imposed worldwide export controls on slew of advanced technologies to align with the Implemented Export Controls (IEC) of international partners.

This January 16 interim final rule by the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposes a broader license requirement on two types of parties: “front-end fabricators” and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) companies.

On December 5, 2024, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) promulgated an interim final rule (the December IFR) expanding its authority to restrict the dissemination of advanced chip technology and semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME) through controls on new items including high bandwidth memory (HBM) commodities, two new foreign direct product rules (FDPRs), expanded end-use and US person restrictions, and clarifying the export control status of software keys.

Welcome to the March 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

On January 20, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded 2021 guidelines that previously designated hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities as “protected areas” and limited immigration enforcement actions in or near such locations.

The latest US tariff actions have rattled North American trade, but businesses that understand the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) have a significant advantage.

In this episode of Five Questions, Five Answers, Birgit Matthiesen and Ryan Greer of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) discuss the current challenges facing Canadian manufacturers due to impending US tariffs and the broader implications for the bilateral trade relationship.

Join ArentFox Schiff’s Sylvia Costelloe for a trade compliance panel hosted by the Women In International Trade Orange County (WITOC).

Foreign nationals and employers should plan all international travel more carefully and further in advance. This is not a travel ban but has opened the path to create a travel ban in the future, as he did in his earlier Administration.

On March 1, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) requiring the US Department of Commerce (Commerce) to investigate the national security implications in connection with imports of timber, lumber, and their derivative products.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that six thought leaders have been recognized by the 2025 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards, acknowledging the visibility and engagement their thought leadership has earned among readers during the past year.

The H-1B is the most common work visa for foreign nationals in professional-level jobs in the United States. Effective January 17, there is a new H-1B “modernization” rule which introduced some significant changes and codified some existing processing practices to the H-1B visa program.

In addition to navigating the Trump Administration’s ever-changing international trade policy through the use of existing (e.g., Section 301, Section 232, etc.) and novel (e.g., International Emergency Economic Powers Act, reciprocal) tariffs, US importers now must also be cognizant of the increased use of the False Claims Act (FCA) to enforce against customs fraud.

On February 25, President Trump issued an executive order (EO) requiring the US Department of Commerce (Commerce) to investigate the national security implications of the copper supply chain. The investigation will be based on section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

ArentFox Schiff professionals will discuss recent matters that directly impact the life sciences industry and its trajectory.

On January 20, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded 2021 guidelines that prohibited immigration enforcement actions in or near medical and health care facilities and other protected areas. Hospitals and other health care facilities should consider the impact this policy change may have on their workforces and patient populations and develop appropriate protocols for responding to an immigration enforcement action on their premises.

Join Angela Santos for an insightful webinar on how the new presidential administration taking office in January 2025 could impact the fashion industry.

In 2025, the retail and fashion industries are bracing for a transformative year, heavily influenced by the policies of the new Trump Administration. These policies promise rapid and significant changes, particularly in areas such as trade, tariffs, and immigration, which will profoundly affect global supply chains and labor dynamics.

Welcome to the February 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

Join Mario Torrico for a panel organized by Asociación Nacional de Comercio Exterior (ANALDEX) and CID-Pro Consulting S.A.S.

In an unprecedented and highly fluid series of US trade announcements emanating from Washington, DC, the latest Executive Orders (EOs) announced this past Friday and this week’s EO on steel imports did little to calm c-suite jitters.

This inaugural issue of ArentFox Schiff’s publication on international mining, energy, and infrastructure disputes aims to provide insights and practical information to general counsels and senior executives of companies operating internationally, particularly in countries that present challenging economic and political conditions for doing business.

This podcast comes on the heels of a whirlwind weekend of tariff headlines from Washington, DC, and reactions around the globe. It begins with news of the tariff “reprieve” for imports from Canada and Mexico and quickly turns to the impact of such tariffs on the North American vehicle and vehicle parts industries.

ArentFox Schiff’s Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force published its first annual report last year to help multinational companies navigate the complexities of forced labor laws in the United States and in countries around the world. Since our last report, forced labor enforcement has developed rapidly, with many of our predictions materializing in 2024.

As of this writing on February 3, the president’s long awaited new tariffs have been officially announced via Executive Orders (EOs) from the White House for Canada, Mexico, and China. They confirm media reports of new 25% tariffs for imports from Canada (except energy resources) and Mexico and 10% for imports from China entered on and after February 4. Canadian energy resources will be subject to a 10% tariff. The rates of duty are in addition to any other duties, fees, exactions, or charges applicable to such imported articles.