News Judge orders Trump administration to close out goods without charging emergency tariffs by Zach Schonfeld - 03/04/26 4:52 PM ET by Zach Schonfeld - 03/04/26 4:52 PM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING The federal trade court judge overseeing  the refund process  for President Trump’s tariffs ordered the administration Wednesday to finalize paperwork for imported goods without charging companies for the invalidated levies. The order  from Richard Eaton, a senior judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade, is set to impact millions of tariff entries submitted to the government that were declared illegal by the Supreme Court’s blockbuster decision.  Companies won’t immediately receive money, but the order marks a milestone that moves the laborious process along. More than 1,000 companies  have sued for refunds, hoping the government will now return tens of billions of dollars following the much-anticipated decision. Eaton’s ruling came in the lawsuit filed by Atmus Filtration, but he said the trade court’s chief judge has put him in charge of all cases pertaining to refunds.  “So there is no danger that another Judge, even one in this Court, will reach any contrary conclusions,” Eaton wrote.  “To find otherwise would be to thwart the efficient administration of justice and to deny those importers who have filed suit the efficient resolution of their claims, and to deny entirely importers who have not filed suit the benefit of the” Supreme Court decision, he continued.  The Supreme Court’s blockbuster 6-3 ruling rejected Trump’s argument that a 1977 emergency law delegated him sweeping authority to impose tariffs. It invalidated most of the sweeping levies he’s imposed on trading partners across the globe since returning to the White House.  Businesses have since pushed for speed  in the fight for refunds, while the administration has so far opposed their efforts to expedite the process beyond normal timetables. To date, many importers have only made an estimated tariff payment.   The judge’s new order mandates Customs and Border Protection (CBP) finalize those entries, a step known as “liquidation,” without including any tariff charges. For goods that have already been liquidated, Eaton said officials must re-do the step.  Ahead of the judge’s order, the Trump administration signaled it would still take time for refunds to go out even once the entries are all liquidated properly.  “Regardless of entry type and liquidation cycle, CBP still requires a review period to ensure no violation of other Customs laws and no other duties, taxes, or fees are owed,” wrote Brandon Lord, a senior official at the agency’s trade programs office.  Add as preferred source on Google Tags Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More News News See All Senate GOP Sen. Tim Sheehy joins police to physically remove protester from hearing by Sarah Davis 4 minutes ago Senate  /  4 minutes ago