U.S. Court Halts Tariff Collection, Opens Refund Process for Importers
A U.S. federal trade court has ordered Customs and Border Protection to stop calculating tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump's emergency powers. This ruling follows a Supreme Court decision that deemed the tariffs unlawful. Judge Richard Eaton's order simplifies the refund process for importers, who may claim refunds totaling up to $175 billion. The Supreme Court's 6–3 ruling on February 20 established that the president lacked authority to impose such tariffs, which generated over $130 billion in revenue. Eaton will oversee the refund litigation, and U.S. Customs must develop a system to manage what could be one of the largest tariff refund efforts in U.S. history. The government may appeal the decision, but Eaton emphasized the obligation to refund all collected duties.
Published 1 day ago • 05 Mar 2026, 08:08 AM IST