U.S. Customs and Border Protection unveiled the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal on Tuesday, letting importers and authorized brokers file refund claims for duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The move follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that former President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs were unlawful, triggering a massive repayment effort and will process claims through a secure online interface.

More than 330,000 firms collectively paid $166 billion in IEEPA duties by early March. CBP estimates the first CAPE phase will cover about 63 percent of those entries, with refunds issued 60‑90 days after a declaration is accepted. Treasury officials, however, are exploring alternative authorities that could shrink the total payout, a point raised by NEC Director Kevin Hassett, and could affect downstream pricing for consumers.

Lawyers warn the novel system could stall; Morgan Lewis’s trade practice head expects technical glitches given the operation’s scale. A separate dispute pits surety firms, who fronted the original tariffs, against CBP for being excluded from Phase One refunds. Meanwhile, the administration has already invoked the 1974 Trade Act to impose a fresh 10 percent levy, signaling that tariff battles are far from settled. Industry groups argue this could erode confidence in trade policy.