The federal government charged more than 130 billion dollars and may be obligated to pay around 175 million in refunds.
A federal judge in New York dealt Donald Trump a defeat on Wednesday by ruling that companies that paid customs duties overturned by the Supreme Court are entitled to refunds.
Judge Richard Eaton wrote that “all registered importers” have “the right to benefit” from the Supreme Court ruling, which annulled the two-digit customs duties that Trump imposed on imports last year, considering them unconstitutional.
The federal government charged more than 130 billion dollars and may be obligated to pay around 175 million in refunds.
“This is a big decision for importers and consumers who paid,” said Barry Appleton, law professor and co-director of the Center for International Law at New York Law School.
Now, the customs agency has to move forward with a process for refunds.
Customs usually refunds fees when there is some type of error, but the system “is not designed for massive refunds”, said lawyer Alexis Early, from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. “The devil is in the details of the administrative process”, he warned.
