The Trump administration has begun processing refunds for billions of dollars in tariffs that the US Supreme Court struck down in February. In what is to be the biggest repayment programme in history, companies can apply online for money they were charged under the so-called Liberation Day tariffs - plus interest - to be returned.
The US Court of International Trade in March ordered customs officials to refund the more than $160bn (£121bn) the government had collected, putting roughly 330,000 importers in a position to potentially win back some money. But some individual consumers, who were hit by the tariffs indirectly through higher prices, are not expected to be compensated.
The refunds relate to levies charged by US President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). All importers of record whose entries were subject to IEEPA duties are entitled to the benefit from the high court's ruling, Judge Richard Eaton wrote in March.
As of early April, more than 56,000 importers had completed the necessary steps to apply for refunds online when the portal opened, with their claims worth $127bn (£943m). The portal, known as the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (Cape), went live on Monday and is designed to efficiently process refunds.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said refunds will be processed as one lump sum rather than item by item, and successful applicants can expect to receive their funds, along with any applicable interest, within 60 to 90 days. However, individual consumers who have faced higher prices due to Trump's tariffs have begun filing lawsuits against companies that they believe passed on these costs, seeking compensation that may not actually come.
Officials from the Trump administration have made it clear they do not expect consumers to benefit directly from the refunds, raising concerns over whether companies will pass on any savings to customers. Reports indicate that only a few businesses have committed to doing so, leaving many consumers feeling frustrated and resigned.
The US Court of International Trade in March ordered customs officials to refund the more than $160bn (£121bn) the government had collected, putting roughly 330,000 importers in a position to potentially win back some money. But some individual consumers, who were hit by the tariffs indirectly through higher prices, are not expected to be compensated.
The refunds relate to levies charged by US President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). All importers of record whose entries were subject to IEEPA duties are entitled to the benefit from the high court's ruling, Judge Richard Eaton wrote in March.
As of early April, more than 56,000 importers had completed the necessary steps to apply for refunds online when the portal opened, with their claims worth $127bn (£943m). The portal, known as the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (Cape), went live on Monday and is designed to efficiently process refunds.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said refunds will be processed as one lump sum rather than item by item, and successful applicants can expect to receive their funds, along with any applicable interest, within 60 to 90 days. However, individual consumers who have faced higher prices due to Trump's tariffs have begun filing lawsuits against companies that they believe passed on these costs, seeking compensation that may not actually come.
Officials from the Trump administration have made it clear they do not expect consumers to benefit directly from the refunds, raising concerns over whether companies will pass on any savings to customers. Reports indicate that only a few businesses have committed to doing so, leaving many consumers feeling frustrated and resigned.
