US processes $100 bn tariff refunds after Supreme Court verdict

The United States has processed nearly USD 100 billion in tariff refunds after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" trade policy, marking one of the largest refund exercises undertaken by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP),according to media reports.
The refunds relate to additional import duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which the Supreme Court ruled earlier this year did not give the President the authority to levy sweeping tariffs on imports. The refunded amount represents a significant share of the nearly USD 166 billion collected under the now-invalidated tariff regime.
According to a filing before the US Court of International Trade, CBP created a dedicated refund mechanism within its Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) platform to process claims. The new Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system became operational in April 2026, enabling importers and customs brokers to submit refund requests electronically.
Brandon Lord, Executive Director of CBP's Trade Programs Directorate, said that as of July 31, refund claims worth about USD 128.68 billion, including potential and certified refunds, had been accepted for processing. Of these, approximately USD 100 billion, including duties and accrued interest, had been certified and forwarded to the US Treasury for payment.CBP added that the CAPE platform has handled over 252,000 refund declarations since its launch, with more than 178,000 successfully passing validation.
The refunds follow a landmark 6-3 Supreme Court ruling delivered in February, in which Chief Justice John Roberts held that the 1977 IEEPA does not authorise the President to impose broad-based tariffs on goods imported from most US trading partners.In his dissenting opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh cautioned that the ruling could lead to substantial financial consequences, including billions of dollars in repayments to importers, some of whom may have already passed the higher costs on to consumers.