Tariff refund portal opens

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is set to open an online claims portal on April 20 for businesses seeking refunds on tariffs the Supreme Court said were illegally imposed. (cbp.gov) (time.com) The new system, called Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, will handle the first wave of claims tied to duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trade advisers say the refunds could total about $165 billion to $166 billion. (ey.com) (skadden.com) The Supreme Court ruled in February 2026 that the law President Donald Trump used did not authorize those tariffs, and the U.S. Court of International Trade later ordered nationwide refunds. Holland & Knight said the trade court’s March 4 order covered unliquidated entries and some entries that were not yet final. (cbsnews.com) (hklaw.com) The portal matters because the refund process is not automatic for every importer. Hogan Lovells said Phase 1 beginning April 20 is limited to certain unliquidated entries and entries within 80 days of liquidation, and filings must go through the Automated Commercial Environment secure portal. (hoganlovells.com) Businesses also need the right plumbing in place before any money moves. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says refunds are generally issued electronically through Automated Clearing House, which means importers or their brokers need an active Automated Commercial Environment portal account and refund setup. (cbp.gov) (ktslaw.com) At the same time, companies are reworking supply chains instead of waiting for tariff policy to settle. South China Morning Post reported that Amazon has expanded a Shenzhen warehousing hub that lets Chinese sellers store goods locally, clear customs, ship across borders and move inventory in one system. (scmp.com) Amazon says the Shenzhen setup can cut storage costs by as much as 45% compared with keeping inventory in U.S. warehouses, and paired with Amazon Global Logistics it can move goods into U.S. fulfillment centers up to seven days faster. The company is using the model as sellers face tariffs and competition from Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop. (scmp.com) (myamazonguy.com) Those two moves point in opposite directions on the same trade shock. Washington is building a mechanism to return past tariff payments, while Amazon is building logistics around the assumption that sellers still need cheaper, faster ways to move goods now. (reuters.com) (scmp.com) The next test is operational, not legal: whether Customs can process a flood of claims quickly and whether importers have the records to qualify. For sellers moving goods through Shenzhen, the question is simpler and more immediate — whether speed and lower storage costs can offset the next tariff swing before the refunds arrive. (wsj.com) (scmp.com)