Roughly 330,000 importers paid tariff fees imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The duties targeted Chinese goods, steel, aluminum, and other products as part of Trump's trade war strategy. Federal agencies quietly launched a workable refund process in late April, according to customs experts handling claims for affected businesses.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in February that Trump exceeded his executive authority when implementing the tariffs without Congressional approval. The decision in American Institute for International Steel v. United States opened the door for importers to recover payments made under legal protest during the original collection period.
Paperwork Required but Process Working
Melissa Alvarado Quisenberry, vice president at Michigan-based Supply Chain Solutions, said her company has been filing refund claims for clients seeking to recover their money. Her firm helps businesses manage freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and shipping operations across 12 Great Lakes ports.
You can work with another broker in a consulting capacity, but your options for now are limited.
The refund process requires working with the original customs broker who handled the initial paperwork. The government mandates that the "importer of record" must file the refund application — not just any broker or consultant. This restriction appears designed to prevent fraud similar to the pandemic-era Employee Retention Tax Credit debacle that spawned questionable service providers filing fraudulent claims worth $163 billion in suspected improper payments.
This requirement creates problems for businesses unhappy with their original customs brokers, particularly if those firms are unresponsive or charging excessive fees to collect tariff refunds. Some brokers are demanding 15-25% contingency fees for processing refund applications, according to trade attorneys. Switching brokers to obtain refunds proves difficult or impossible under current rules established by CBP Commissioner Troy Miller.
Electronic Filing Through Federal Portal
Customs brokers must file refund requests electronically through the customs agency's Ace Secure Data Portal. The initial phase covers only shipments that were "liquidated" or finalized within the past 80 days. CBP processes approximately 28,000 liquidations daily, creating a narrow window for eligible claims in the program's first phase.
The agency plans to expand eligibility windows in three-month intervals working backward from recent liquidations. This phased approach allows CBP to test system capacity while managing the massive volume of potential claims. The port of Long Beach processed $87 billion in affected cargo during the tariff period, representing the largest single source of potential refund claims.
Context: Largest Trade Refund in U.S. History
The refund program represents the largest trade duty recovery in U.S. history, dwarfing the $12 billion in agricultural subsidies paid to farmers during the same trade disputes. Small importers bore disproportionate costs during the tariff period, with many paying 20-25% duties on Chinese electronics, textiles, and consumer goods.
The Trump tariffs generated $80 billion annually in federal revenue at their peak, but economic studies showed American consumers and businesses absorbed most costs through higher prices rather than Chinese exporters reducing prices.
Next Steps and Timeline
Businesses eligible for refunds should contact their original customs brokers immediately to begin the claims process. CBP expects to process 40,000-50,000 claims in the first phase covering recent liquidations. The agency will announce expanded eligibility windows by August 15, with full program rollout expected by October 1.
Trade attorneys expect the refund process to take 12-18 months for complete distribution, assuming no legal challenges from domestic industries that benefited from tariff protection. The steel and aluminum sectors have indicated they may seek intervention to delay refunds pending Congressional review.
