The United States government has opened an online refund system for businesses that paid import tariffs the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional, marking the beginning of what could become a $166 billion repayment process. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched the portal on April 20, allowing importers and their brokers to begin filing claims from 8am Eastern Time.

The refund process follows a February ruling in which the Supreme Court found that President Donald Trump had exceeded his constitutional authority when he imposed sweeping import tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world, citing the US trade deficit as a national emergency. The justices determined that in doing so, Trump had effectively usurped Congress's role in setting tax rates — a power reserved for the legislature under the US Constitution. CBP filings indicate that more than 330,000 importers paid tariffs on over 53 million shipments, with the total amount reaching approximately $166 billion. Of that sum, around $127 billion is owed to importers who had already signed up for electronic payments.

Under the new system, companies must submit details of the goods on which tariffs were levied. Once CBP approves a claim, refunds are expected to be issued within 60 to 90 days. The portal is part of a newly created tool called the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE), designed to streamline the claims process. More than 3,000 businesses — including logistics giant FedEx and retail warehouse chain Costco — have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration seeking refunds. FedEx has indicated that some customers may be eligible for repayments, while Costco has suggested it could pass savings on to shoppers through lower prices.

Business groups across the country have welcomed the development but pressed for speed and simplicity. The US Chamber of Commerce called for swift repayment, with its chief policy officer Neil Bradley emphasising the particular significance for the more than 200,000 small business importers affected. The business coalition We Pay the Tariffs echoed that urgency, noting that many smaller firms had taken out loans, frozen hiring, and cancelled expansion plans to cover tariff bills that were never part of their financial planning.

The launch of the refund system is widely seen as a significant moment for US trade policy, though the process remains complex and could eventually extend to consumers who absorbed some of the tariff costs on imported goods. Business advocates have stressed that a legal victory alone is insufficient — actual financial relief must follow swiftly and without burdensome conditions if the ruling is to have meaningful economic impact.