Alimentos Grole Liquidation Suspension: USTR Ends Suspension October 19

Executive Summary

USTR announced on October 19, 2026, that it directed the Secretary of the Treasury to resume liquidation of unliquidated entries of goods from the Alimentos Grole facility in Ciudad Obregón.

The change applies to unliquidated entries from that facility, not entries already liquidated or goods from other facilities.

USTR’s letter says a condition in section 752(b) of the USMCA Implementation Act has been met and says USTR is no longer directing suspension for covered entries.

The announcement does not establish when CBP will process individual entries under the resumed direction, so entry status and agency implementation should be confirmed.

The Alimentos Grole liquidation suspension no longer applies to unliquidated entries of goods from the named facility. On October 19, 2026, USTR announced that it had directed the Secretary of the Treasury to resume liquidation after finding the remediation matter resolved. The USTR announcement links the action to the facility in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. The letter to the Secretary of the Treasury describes the change in the liquidation direction.

Which Alimentos Grole Entries Can Resume Liquidation?

The resumption direction reaches unliquidated entries of goods from the Alimentos Grole facility in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. The letter identifies that facility as the one covered by the earlier suspension and says USTR is no longer directing suspension of liquidation for its unliquidated entries.

The operative distinction is whether an entry remains unliquidated. An entry already liquidated is not within the letter’s stated scope for resumed liquidation. The direction is facility-specific, so the notice does not extend the change to goods from another facility merely because they are associated with the same company.

The USTR announcement describes the matter as a facility-specific Rapid Response Labor Mechanism case under the USMCA. It does not describe a broader change to liquidation treatment for goods from Mexico or to entries involving other facilities. Apply the change by matching the relevant goods to the named facility and then checking the entry’s liquidation status.

What Did USTR Direct for Alimentos Grole Entries?

USTR directed the Secretary of the Treasury to resume liquidation of unliquidated entries of goods from the facility. In its letter, USTR states that a condition in section 752(b) of the USMCA Implementation Act has been met and that USTR is no longer directing the suspension for covered entries.

The letter also asks the Treasury Secretary to inform relevant officials of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the notification. It does not say in the letter that CBP has completed processing any particular entry. The announcement establishes the change in USTR’s direction, not the status of each entry in an importer’s records.

This is a change from the August 28, 2025 direction suspending liquidation of all unliquidated entries of goods from the facility. The new direction is not a statement that previously liquidated entries will be reopened or that entries from other facilities are included.

Why Did USTR Resume Alimentos Grole Liquidation?

USTR says it directed resumed liquidation because the United States and Mexico’s agreed course of remediation was implemented and the denial-of-rights concerns raised in the review request were remedied. The USTR announcement identifies the reported issues as including a company-aligned internal labor committee and retaliatory dismissals of workers.

The announcement lists remediation that included reinstating nine workers with backpay and benefits, paying full severance to two workers according to their preferences, disbanding the internal committee, and establishing a facility access protocol for the union. It also describes changes to human resources and labor relations management, worker training, and complaint mechanisms. USTR states that the plan was implemented and the concerns were remediated.

Those labor actions explain the decision, but they do not enlarge the customs scope. For an entry question, the relevant test remains whether the goods came from the named facility and whether the entry is still unliquidated.

When Did the Alimentos Grole Liquidation Direction Change?

July 29, 2025. USTR says the Interagency Labor Committee received the petition from current and former workers.
August 28, 2025. The United States requested Mexico’s review, and USTR directed suspension of liquidation for all unliquidated entries of goods from the facility.
October 10, 2025. USTR says Mexico concluded that a denial of rights had occurred at the facility.
January 28, 2026. The United States and Mexico agreed to the course of remediation, which set March 31, 2026, as the agreed date for completion of all remediation.
October 19, 2026. USTR announced successful resolution and stated that it directed the Treasury Secretary to resume liquidation of covered unliquidated entries.

The October 19 date is the announcement date. The letter itself does not state a date on its first page.

What Should Importers Check After the USTR Direction?

Identify entries tied to the facility. Review entry records and supporting documents for goods from the Alimentos Grole facility in Ciudad Obregón. Do not treat other facilities as covered by this direction.

Confirm liquidation status. Separate entries that remain unliquidated from entries already liquidated. The direction concerns only unliquidated entries, so preserve that status distinction in the review.

Update broker and trade records. Share the USTR announcement and letter with the customs broker and internal trade team handling the affected entries. Ask them to flag covered entries and record whether each is unliquidated, rather than assuming that the announcement itself confirms CBP has processed a specific entry.

Keep the scope narrow. Do not apply the change to goods from another facility or use it as a basis to treat a previously liquidated entry as reopened. Retain the facility identification and entry-status information supporting each decision.

What Does USTR’s Alimentos Grole Letter Leave Unanswered?

The letter states that USTR is no longer directing suspension of liquidation for unliquidated entries from the facility, but it does not give a date for when the letter was issued. The USTR announcement is dated October 19, 2026, and does not specify when CBP will process individual entries under the changed direction.

The letter also does not set out an entry-by-entry procedure, explain how an importer should establish that goods came from the facility, or address entries that were already liquidated. The stated scope excludes already liquidated entries by its terms, but the sources do not explain whether any separate process could affect them. Importers should distinguish the announced change in USTR’s direction from confirmation of an individual entry’s status or treatment.

Sources

This publication is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. Reading it does not create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Readers should not act on this information without seeking advice from qualified counsel. The views expressed are those of this site and its owner as of the date of publication. Although we try to keep this content complete, accurate and up to date, we assume no responsibility for its completeness, accuracy or timeliness.