The U.S. government has completed $20.6 billion in tariff refunds to importers after the Supreme Court struck down a major portion of President Donald Trump’s tariff program. Officials also disclosed that more refunds are pending, while acknowledging an earlier reporting error in the refund totals.
The repayments relate to tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which the Court found exceeded presidential authority. Customs officials say the refund process continues through a dedicated system developed after the ruling.
The Trump administration has refunded more than $20 billion to importers and shippers as part of an ongoing effort to return tariffs collected under a policy invalidated by the Supreme Court. The process is being overseen by the U.S. Court of International Trade and involves tens of millions of import entries.
According to a court filing cited by multiple outlets, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that approximately $85 billion in both potential and certified refunds had been accepted for processing as of May 22.
Refund Process Expands as Customs Updates Payment Figures
The refunds stem from tariffs imposed under IEEPA during Trump’s term. According to NBC News, the administration had collected more than $165 billion in country-specific tariffs before the Supreme Court ruled in February that the policy exceeded the authority granted under that law.
Brandon Lord, executive director of trade programs at CBP’s Office of Trade, stated in a filing that $20.6 billion in refunds had been completed. That figure includes both tariff repayments and interest, although no breakdown between the two amounts was provided.
Bloomberg reported that CBP created the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries system, known as CAPE, after the Court’s decision. Through that system, nearly 16 million import entries affected by IEEPA tariffs had been accepted during the initial phase of the refund effort, and about 8.5 million had already been reprocessed without those duties and certified for repayment.
The agency also disclosed that4,185 consolidated refunds had not yet been sent to the Treasury Department because applicants had not provided bank account information required for digital payment processing. Companies seeking reimbursement include Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, FedEx, UPS and DHL, according to NBC News.
Officials Acknowledge Reporting Error as Tariff Policy Remains in Place
The latest filing also corrected figures provided earlier in the process. According to Bloomberg, a previous update had stated that more than$35.5 billion in refund claims were being processed. CBP later determined that this amount had been overstated by approximately $10 billion, placing the actual figure closer to $25 billion at that stage.
Lord stated in the filing that the discrepancy resulted from an inadvertent error in the data query used to calculate the earlier total and was not linked to processing failures within CAPE or the refund system itself. Although these repayments continue, importers are still paying a separate blanket tariff introduced after the Supreme Court decision.
NBC News reported that the administration implemented a 10% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which permits global tariffs of up to 15% for as long as 150 days. The administration has also indicated it may seek to continue that tariff period without congressional approval, though no increase to 15% has been enacted.
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