US tariff‑refund portal readies

U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to open a new online claims system on Monday, April 20, for businesses seeking refunds on tariffs the Supreme Court said were collected illegally. (cbp.gov) The agency says the first phase will run through the Automated Commercial Environment, or ACE, using a new tool called Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE. Phase 1 covers certain unliquidated entries and certain entries still within 80 days of liquidation. (cbp.gov) The refund fight traces back to a February 20, 2026 Supreme Court ruling that said the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not let a president impose tariffs. The 6-3 decision invalidated Trump tariffs tied to the 2025 “reciprocal” program and fentanyl-related import duties. (scotusblog.com, ropesgray.com) After that ruling, a judge ordered the government to build a refund process, and customs officials told the court they were creating a new system to handle repayment demands. Bloomberg reported the first version of the portal would initially cover about 63% of the 53 million import entries at issue. (insurancejournal.com, news.bloomberglaw.com) The money at stake is unusually large. Reuters reported the government is preparing to refund as much as $166 billion in tariffs, while CBP says CAPE is designed to process refunds of IEEPA duties with interest. (usnews.com, cbp.gov) Importers cannot just wait for a paper check. CBP now requires refunds to be paid electronically through Automated Clearing House, and the agency is urging companies to set up an ACE Portal account, add an importer sub-account, and load bank information before any refund is issued. (cbp.gov, cbp.gov) That paperwork scramble has turned into a legal scramble too. Insurance Journal, citing Bloomberg reporting, said nearly 1,000 new tariff cases were filed in the U.S. trade court since March 1 because many companies still do not trust the administrative process to catch every claim. (insurancejournal.com) The list of companies taking that precaution includes Adidas, Versace owner Capri, Ducati North America, DHL Express, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air, according to the same report. DHL said it was acting to protect customers’ interests while the court process and customs guidance continued to develop. (insurancejournal.com) Trade lawyers say the portal’s timing now sits alongside shipping schedules and cash-flow planning. Reuters reported Basic Fun Chief Executive Jay Foreman said he was “locked and loaded” for the Monday launch but still worried officials could slow the process. (usnews.com) For importers, April 20 is not the end of the tariff case. It is the start of a filing window in which eligibility, entry status, bank setup and court strategy will determine how fast any of that $166 billion actually comes back. (cbp.gov, usnews.com)