WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Monday that electronic refund payments for certain Trump administration tariffs will begin May 12, pushing back the start date by one day from previous projections.
The customs agency revealed the updated timeline in a communication to shipping companies, announcing new status tracking systems that will allow businesses to monitor their refund claims as they move through the approval process.
Last week’s Court of International Trade ruling had indicated refund distributions would commence around May 11, though officials did not provide an explanation for the slight delay to May 12.
The refund program stems from a Supreme Court decision that found former President Trump exceeded his executive powers when he used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose certain trade penalties. The 1977 sanctions legislation was ruled inappropriate for tariff implementation by the nation’s highest court.
Customs officials estimate the total value of refundable collections could reach $166 billion, representing tariffs collected under the disputed emergency powers framework during the Trump presidency.
