The U.S. government has issued $100 billion in refunds to companies that paid tariffs later deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, according to a court filing this week. The refunds represent over half of the revenue collected from tariffs that the high court struck down in February, with an additional $29 billion in potential refunds still under review by federal authorities.
The refunds are being processed through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “CAPE” portal, which allows importers to apply for reimbursement. As of July 31, the portal had received 252,496 tariff refund declarations covering more than 25 million import entries, CBP official Brandon Lord stated in the filing. Nearly $1.6 billion in potential reimbursements remains backlogged due to pending banking details from importers.
The refunds follow the Supreme Court’s February decision, which found that the tariffs lacked a proper legal basis. The Treasury Department has since disbursed the funds, though the process of distributing refunds to individual companies continues. The CAPE system is designed to streamline reimbursements for importers who paid the tariffs, with companies able to apply for up to $175 billion in total reimbursements.
Major retailers and manufacturers, including Apple and Amazon, have begun receiving refunds, though the extent to which these funds will benefit consumers remains unclear. Some companies, such as Walmart, have indicated plans to reinvest refunded tariff payments into price reductions, though specifics have not been detailed. Amazon’s chief financial officer, Brian Olsavsky, noted that the company does not typically handle imports directly, meaning most refunds may not translate into direct customer rebates.
The refund process is ongoing, with federal officials emphasizing the legal obligation to return funds collected under the invalidated tariffs. The Treasury Department has not provided a timeline for the completion of all refunds, and some importers have yet to submit required banking information to facilitate reimbursements.