Customs IT Delays Billions in Refunds

U.S. Customs said its import processing system (ACE) cannot handle processing refunds after the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs, estimating 53.2 million entries and $166 billion affected and saying current processes would take over 4.4 million hours. CBP proposes building new capabilities and promises guidance, but says it may take about 45 days to launch a streamlined refund process. — Shows how legacy government IT can turn legal and fiscal reversals into protracted administrative crises that harm businesses, delay taxpayer relief, and politicize technical modernization.