The initial batch of tariff refunds will be distributed electronically starting May 12, U.S. Customs and Border Protection informed shippers on Monday. This marks a key milestone in unwinding the trade policy that the Supreme Court invalidated in February.
CBP, the agency tasked with collecting duties on imports, has opened a reimbursement portal for importers and brokers who paid tariffs under the now-defunct program. The updated timeline comes just one day later than earlier court filings had projected.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump’s broad use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs exceeded his constitutional authority. However, the decision left unresolved how to handle the $166 billion already collected.
As of April 26, over 75,000 businesses had applied for refunds through CBP’s portal, according to a court filing. The agency determined that more than 47,000 claims were properly filed, and approximately 1.7 million individual tariff payments are now being processed for reimbursement.
Brandon Lord, CBP’s executive director of trade programs, stated in the filing that the portal is “working successfully” and that the agency will continue monitoring its performance.
The refunds will go directly to the companies that imported the goods, though some firms have pledged to pass the savings along to consumers. The political fallout has been sharp: President Trump has publicly criticized the refund process, calling it “unexplainable” in a Truth Social post on April 22. He wrote, “Handing over 159 Billion Dollars in Tariff refunds to people who have been Ripping Off our Country for years, is unexplainable.” He also claimed that “one little sentence” from the Court could have prevented the payouts.
Trump has urged American companies not to seek refunds, suggesting he would remember those that do. He described the situation as a “travesty.” Meanwhile, the administration continues to face scrutiny over its trade policies, with some Republicans warning of electoral consequences if the party abandons Trump’s agenda before the midterms.
The refund timeline is a critical test of CBP’s administrative capacity, as the agency must process millions of claims while managing ongoing trade enforcement. The Supreme Court’s decision has also reignited debate over executive authority in trade matters, with lawmakers on both sides calling for clearer statutory guidelines.
As the May 12 start date approaches, importers and brokers are closely monitoring the portal’s functionality. The refunds represent a significant financial reversal, but the broader political and legal implications of the Court’s ruling continue to unfold.
