Evolving with the Changing Trade Landscape: Chicago Trade Day 2025

CHICAGO-- 2025 has been marked by a rapidly changing trade environment with new tariffs, new priorities, and new ways of doing business. To address these changes directly with the trade community, the Chicago Field Office (CFO) Trade Division organized and hosted its second annual Trade Day on June 10 at the Hilton Oak Brook Conference Center in Westmont, Illinois.

Trade Days have become a hallmark for Field Offices across the country, allowing CBP to share timely and relevant information with members of the trade community to foster secure and compliant trade. The Chicago Field Office’s Trade Day 2025, themed “Evolving with the Changing Trade Landscape,” brought together members of the trade community, including importers, brokers, and forwarders, with interagency participants for robust dialogue on international trade. CBP experts presented on critical trade topics, and for the first time, licensed customs brokers were able to earn continuing education credits for participating in the event.

The day began with keynote addresses from Director of Field Operations LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, CFO, and Acting Executive Director Shane Campbell, Cargo and Conveyance Security, CFO. Sutton-Burke highlighted the scope of operations within the CFO and Campbell underscored the work CBP has done to implement the President’s executive orders and support the America First Trade Policy. Chicago Area Port Director Michael Pfeiffer provided an overview of the Area Port of Chicago’s passenger and trade operations, rounding out presentations that touched on local, regional, and national issues.

Participants engaged in lively discussions with the speakers on topics including the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. intellectual property rights enforcement, de minimis transactions, and Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum. CTPAT Branch Chief Carlos Ochoa and Acting Director of the De Minimis Coordination Cell, Anne Marie Paul, offered insights on CTPAT program and de minimis program developments, respectively.

Not surprisingly, the topic that generated the most probing questions was that of tariffs, namely Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum. Base Metals Assistant Center Director Michael Dean adeptly handled a variety of complex scenario-based questions and continued to engage with stakeholders during the afternoon session, which saw participants move to a second room at the venue to speak one on one to CBP and Partner Government Agency (PGA) representatives.

During the afternoon session, the trade community perused CBP and PGA exhibits in a trade fair style format or joined K9 demonstrations in the main ballroom. Representatives from the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison, Laboratories and Scientific Services, Port of Chicago, Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Enforcement Branch, and Recruitment all participated alongside other agencies with a nexus to the border. PGAs included U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the International Trade Administration.

In total, nearly 200 CBP, interagency, and trade stakeholders attended Trade Day.

“Trade Day is a great opportunity for the trade community to understand what CBP is doing in the trade space, and it allows us to provide some context for what we do,” said Assistant Director of Field Operations (Trade) Chris Yonkman, CFO, who offered opening remarks and served as the master of ceremonies. “It’s important for stakeholders to understand the importance of CBP’s trade mission and to speak directly to trade subject matter experts.”

The trade mission supports national and economic security and is focused on effective trade enforcement and supporting U.S. industry by creating a level playing field for American businesses. Trade Day is just one way in which CBP Chicago is messaging the public on the importance of CBP’s critical trade mission.