Small Business Owner Seeks $25K Tariff Refund
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- Richard Brown recorded an audio diary documenting his attempts to claim a tariff refund after the Supreme Court struck down most of Trump's tariffs.
- U.S. Customs announced an online portal for refund claims in early March, but many small importers, including Brown, struggled to log in due to technical errors.
- Cato Institute trade experts warned that the non‑automated refund process risked shortchanging thousands of American companies, with the government likely keeping tens of billions of dollars it should have returned.
- U.S. Customs reported that as of April 26 it had accepted claims covering about one‑fifth of shipments for which refunds are due, while rejecting more than a third of filed claims for technical or data errors.
- Proof Culture estimates the government owes it up to $25,000 in refunds, roughly 10 % of its previous year revenue.
- Supreme Court decision in February struck down most of Trump's tariffs, prompting the refund process and the new tariffs.
Why it matters: Small importers like Brown risk losing tens of billions of dollars owed because the refund system relies on self‑filing through a buggy portal, while the Treasury retains the unclaimed funds. The Cato Institute warns the government will likely keep the money it promised after the court’s ruling.
