Overview
- The justices issued no decision on Jan. 9 and released an unrelated opinion, with the next opinion day scheduled for Jan. 14 but no firm timeline for a tariff ruling.
- At issue is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act authorizes sweeping tariffs; the U.S. Court of International Trade and the Federal Circuit have already rejected that interpretation.
- Tariff collections total roughly $133.5 billion through mid‑December and are estimated near $150 billion, creating potential refund exposure if the measures are struck down.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection is shifting refunds to electronic distribution through the ACE portal starting Feb. 6, while entry liquidation timelines could limit who recovers duties.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett say the administration can rely on other trade statutes to maintain tariff revenue if the court narrows IEEPA authority, as importers pursue protective lawsuits to preserve refund rights.