US opens refund portal to start paying back Trump’s illegal tariffs

In a significant development, the US government has unveiled a new online platform aimed at processing tariff refund requests, just two months after the Supreme Court determined that former President Trump had unlawfully imposed tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This initiative is set to benefit importers and customs brokers who paid these tariffs, although consumers who faced inflated prices due to these tariffs may not see any financial restitution. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has introduced the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal specifically for IEEPA refunds. A bulletin released by the CBP stated, "Importers and authorized customs brokers can now file their CAPE Declarations." As of March 4, over 330,000 importers had collectively paid an astounding $166 billion in IEEPA duties, as detailed in a court filing by a CBP trade office representative. Despite the launch of this refund portal in compliance with the Supreme Court's ruling, it seems the Trump administration is exploring options to minimize the total amount to be refunded. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett mentioned during an interview with Fox Business that there are alternative legal avenues that could significantly reduce the refund amount. "It’s a work in progress," he added, emphasizing that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is diligently reviewing these possibilities. This marks the initial phase of the CAPE process, which is designed to streamline refunds of IEEPA duties, including applicable interest, rather than processing them on an individual entry basis, as noted in the CBP bulletin. The government anticipates that refunds will typically be issued within 60 to 90 days after a CAPE declaration is accepted. However, as reported by The New York Times, it remains to be seen whether this newly established refund mechanism will experience any delays in processing.