U.S. Clears $35.5 Billion in Illegal Tariff Refunds for Importers

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has validated nearly 87,000 refund declarations covering over 8 million import entries since its online portal launched in April. The refunds total $35.5 billion, addressing tariffs illegally collected under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The program stems from a court ruling that found the tariff increases on Chinese goods exceeded statutory authority. Importers had filed for refunds through the IEEPA portal, which CBP established to process claims. The agency has now cleared the backlog, returning billions to businesses affected by the unlawful duties.