$50 Billion Gap in IEEPA Tariff Refunds Pushes Importers Toward Litigation

CBP has accepted over $121 billion in IEEPA tariff refunds for processing but paid out only $71 billion, per Cato Institute reporting and CBP figures. The Supreme Court struck down the tariff authority but left no automatic refund mechanism. Rivian sued the U.S. government on July 23, 2026, seeking repayment with interest — a path other importers may follow given the backlog.