U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that once its new claims portal system is operational, tariff refund payments may take up to 45 days for review and processing. This development follows a Supreme Court ruling in February that deemed tariffs imposed by the Trump administration unlawful. The U.S. Court of International Trade is overseeing the refund process for over 330,000 importers affected by these tariffs. Brandon Lord, a CBP official, indicated that the new refund system is currently 60 to 85 percent complete and aims to streamline the refund application process without requiring importers to sue for reimbursement. The CBP has set an initial deadline for the system to be operational by April. The first wave of claims will prioritize customs entries liquidated within the last 80 days and those with suspended or extended liquidation statuses. Most refunds will be processed electronically, although alternative payment methods may be used in certain circumstances.