Attorney General Jeff Jackson Urges North Carolina Businesses to Apply for Tariff Refunds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 24, 2026
Contact: comms@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson is encouraging North Carolina businesses that were impacted by the federal administration’s first round of illegal tariffs to apply for refunds.

“These tariffs cost North Carolina families and businesses $3.5 billion,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “That was money people needed for food, gas, and running their businesses. I hope eligible businesses act now to apply for refunds. The newly announced system is a good first step, but we need a faster process for refunds that doesn’t burden businesses.”

On Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched a portal for businesses to apply for refunds for costs imposed by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in February.

Only importers of record and licensed customs brokers can apply for refunds through the new Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) platform. Monday’s launch marks the first phase of the process, and refund applications are limited to only some tariff payments. CBP has said additional functionality will be added in coming phases.

To apply for refunds, eligible importers or brokers must submit a CAPE declaration with a list of entries for which they are requesting refunds through an Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal account. Refunds, including interest, will be consolidated and are expected to be issued within 60-90 days of the declaration being accepted. However, CBP said refunds could take longer if they require additional review.

Nationally, the IEEPA tariffs have cost businesses and consumers more than $166 billion. Attorney General Jeff Jackson has called on Congress to pass legislation requiring the federal government to reimburse importers for these illegal tariff charges, with interest, through a fair and fast process that doesn’t put the burden on businesses.

In a letter sent to Congress, Attorney General Jackson and a coalition of attorneys general noted that CBP’s ACE portal already has the information and tools to return to each importer the amount the federal government illegally collected. They wrote that the refunds should be automatic. The attorneys general also urged Congress to direct businesses who receive tariff refunds to reimburse their customers, since they ultimately bore the burden of higher prices.

Additionally, Attorney General Jackson and other attorneys general in March filed a lawsuit to block the federal government’s latest round of unlawful tariffs, which the administration imposed the same day the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs.

The John Locke Foundation estimated that the IEEPA tariffs could cost North Carolina’s farming industry and rural economy about $1.9 billion and 8,000 jobs. The latest round of tariffs poses a similar threat if other countries maintain retaliatory tariffs.

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