A U.S. trade court judge has directed the government to start issuing billions of dollars in refunds to importers who paid tariffs deemed illegal by the Supreme Court last month.
Judge Richard Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade in Manhattan ordered the government to finalize the calculation of the costs for millions of shipments entering the United States without the improper tariffs, according to a court document. The refunds are to include interest, Eaton ruled.
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When goods enter the United States, importers pay an estimated amount at the time of entry, which is finalized roughly 314 days later in a process called liquidation. Eaton’s order instructs U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to recalculate the entry costs without applying the illegal tariffs, paving the way for reimbursements.
The judge also scheduled a hearing for Friday to receive updates on CBP’s plans to implement the refunds. In his order, Eaton noted that the chief judge of the court designated him as the sole judge to handle cases related to tariff refunds, centralizing the process under his supervision.
This ruling comes after the Supreme Court’s recent decision, which clarified that certain tariffs previously collected were unlawful. The decision is expected to impact millions of importers, potentially easing the financial burden for businesses that paid substantial duties on goods that should not have been taxed.
Eaton’s order signals the start of a structured process to ensure that importers receive full reimbursement, including interest, reflecting the court’s effort to enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling efficiently and transparently. The trade community is closely monitoring CBP’s response and the timeline for disbursing refunds.
