The U.S. government is refusing to return tariffs that the Supreme Court ruled last month were illegal, people familiar with the matter said. Customs officials are rejecting companies' requests for refunds on tariffs imposed under Trump's emergency powers, plunging companies into uncertainty and leading to more disputes in court, reports say.
In total, the U.S. government has imposed more than $130 billion in tariffs deemed illegal, and these tariffs are at the center of Trump's trade policy. The Supreme Court has not provided guidance on tax refunds, leading to confusion among importers on how to get them.
On Wednesday, a U.S. trade court judge ordered the government to start paying rebates that could amount to billions of dollars to importers who paid those duties.
According to reports, many companies have urgently submitted "Post Summary Corrections" to delete tariff codes imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) from customs declaration records and apply for tax refunds. However, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has refused to accept these applications and has suspended the acceptance of appeals for the refund of cleared IEEPA tariffs.
The White House and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to requests for comment.