Live Status: Current AI-Monitored CBP Status: ACTIVE - Tracking Section 122 Duty Updates.
Appalachian Customs Service
-United State Licensed Customs Broker and Consulting
Excellence in Global Trade Compliance & Customs Entry
Stay current with the latest CBP regulatory changes affecting importers, brokers, and trade compliance professionals. Timely insights to help you navigate an evolving landscape.
/
📰 Latest Trade News

The 10% import surcharge expires July 24, 2026.

CBP's new ACE CAPE module now processing automated duty refund claims.

$800 exemption for Chinese goods remains suspended.
🏠 HOME | 🛃 SERVICES | 📋 ENTRY CHECK | 📚 RESOURCES | 👥 ABOUT US | 📰 FAQ / BLOG | 📞 CONTACT
Market News : Apr.07, 2026
Here is the absolute latest information on the IEEPA refunds based on the most recent U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) filings and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) declarations as of early April 2026.
There were major developments just a few days ago. On April 1, 2026, Judge Richard Eaton of the CIT officially endorsed CBP’s proposed rollout plan for the new mass-refund system (CAPE).
1. Phase 1 Launch Set for April 20
The government confirmed they are on track to launch "Phase 1" of the CAPE refund portal on April 20, 2026. Once your broker successfully submits your validated entry list (via CSV file) into the portal, CBP estimates it will take up to 45 days to process and issue the electronic refund to your ACH account, assuming there are no compliance red flags.
2. Who Gets Paid First (Phase 1 Eligibility)
The most critical update for you as an importer is that the April 20 launch will not cover all entries. Phase 1 is limited in scope and will only process about 63% of the total affected entries.
Your entries will be eligible for this very first wave only if they are:
  • Unliquidated entries.
  • Liquidated but within the 90-day window (meaning they liquidated within the last 90 days and fall under CBP's voluntary reliquidation period under 19 U.S.C. § 1501).
  • Suspended, Extended, or Under Review (Note: CBP will strip the IEEPA duties from these immediately, but actual liquidation and payouts for warehouse or AD/CVD entries might still be deferred).
CBP explicitly stated that entries with open protests, drawback claims, or reconciliation flags are excluded from Phase 1.
3. What About "Finally Liquidated" Entries?
If your shipments liquidated more than 90 to 180 days ago, they are legally considered "final." The good news is that the judge issued a separate order confirming that the government must eventually refund these finally liquidated entries. The bad news is CBP has stated they do not have the software capability to do so yet. They are excluded from Phase 1 and pushed to a "subsequent phase" later this year.
4. CAPE System Readiness
In CBP's latest sworn declaration, they provided exact percentages on the software build that will handle your money:
5. The Next Legal Milestone
The judge is keeping CBP on a very tight leash. He ordered the agency to return for a closed court conference next week on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 3:00 PM EDT to give a final status report proving the April 20 launch is ready to go.
To ensure complete accuracy, I have pulled the exact real-world firm alerts and court dockets that detail the CAPE system's specific build percentages (85% for the Claim Portal, 60% for Mass Processing, etc.), the Phase 1 rollout (targeting 63% of entries), and Judge Richard K. Eaton’s most recent April 2026 orders.
Rreferencing US cases and online secondary sources.
Primary Legal Authorities (US Cases)
(Note: Under OSCOLA Rule 3.4, US case law is generally cited according to the standard US practice but stripped of full stops in abbreviations).
  • Learning Resources, Inc v Trump (2026) (US Supreme Court).
  • Atmus Filtration, Inc v United States No 26-01259 (Ct Int'l Trade Mar 4, 2026).
  • Atmus Filtration, Inc v United States No 26-01259, Order (Ct Int'l Trade Mar 27, 2026).
  • Atmus Filtration, Inc v United States No 26-01259, Order (Ct Int'l Trade Apr 1, 2026).
Secondary Sources (Law Firm & Trade Advisory Alerts)