Who is the judge ordering the US government to pay tariff refunds?

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US Judge Richard Eaton Orders Tariff Refund Payments

US Court of International Trade Judge Richard Eaton has ordered the government to begin refunding potentially billions of dollars in tariffs to importers. This directive follows a Supreme Court decision that these tariffs were collected illegally. Judge Eaton’s order mandates Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to finalize the entry cost of shipments without assessing the illegal tariff, thereby initiating the refund process.
Judge Eaton's Directive on Refund Process

Judge Eaton instructed Customs and Border Protection to finalize the entry cost for millions of shipments without applying the unlawfully collected tariff. He emphasized that CBP possesses the established procedures and systems to issue such refunds, noting that the agency regularly processes refunds when importers overpay estimated duties. A hearing was scheduled for Friday to receive updates on CBP's refund implementation plans.
Scale of the Refund Task

Customs and Border Protection has indicated that finalizing entry costs without tariffs presents an unprecedented challenge, potentially requiring a manual review of over 70 million entries. The agency had previously requested up to four months to assess its options for processing these refunds. This task involves approximately 2,000 lawsuits filed with the trade court seeking refunds for tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Background of the Illegal Tariffs

The US government collected over US$130 billion in tariffs that were later deemed illegal by the Supreme Court. These tariffs were a significant component of former President Trump's trade policy. The Supreme Court's ruling did not specify a method for issuing refunds, leading to uncertainty for importers regarding reimbursement procedures. Atmus Filtration, a plaintiff in one such case, stated it paid approximately US$11 million in these illegal tariffs.

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Who is the judge ordering the US government to pay tariff refunds?

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