Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against the U.S. warehouses of Chinese e-commerce companies Shein and Temu. In a letter sent on December 1, 2025, Cotton accused the two platforms of large-scale intellectual property theft and counterfeiting that harms American designers, brands, and innovators.
“I urge you to prioritize Shein and Temu facilities for immediate inspections, seizures, and criminal investigations. The Department of Justice can no longer allow the continued theft of American property on our soil. This enforcement action would send a strong message: the United States will no longer tolerate Chinese platforms looting American intellectual property,” wrote Cotton.
Cotton referenced findings from an Information Technology and Innovation Foundation investigation that conducted test purchases from both companies. According to Cotton, nearly half of these items were likely counterfeit. He noted that Temu was found to host particularly sophisticated fakes while Shein was said to enable widespread copyright infringement involving American designs.
The senator highlighted complaints from independent artists and small U.S. clothing brands who say their original work is copied by Shein within days of launch and sold at lower prices. Cotton stated that several American brands and creators have filed lawsuits against Shein this year for alleged design theft.
Cotton also mentioned policy changes under President Trump that closed the de minimis loophole—previously allowing millions of uninspected packages from China—which he says forced Shein and Temu to change their distribution model by storing goods in large inventories within U.S.-based warehouses.
He argued this shift provides law enforcement with an opportunity to act since the goods are now under U.S. jurisdiction rather than arriving directly from overseas ports.
In his letter, Cotton urged federal authorities—including the Department of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations—to inspect, seize, and investigate these facilities for potential violations related to counterfeit goods.
