Court of International Trade Certifies Class Action in IEEPA Tariff Refund Lawsuit

On October 8, 2026, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) approved a class-action lawsuit seeking refunds for tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This action allows thousands of businesses to seek refunds together instead of having to file separate lawsuits.

The Trump administration argued that refunds cannot be processed for certain imports if more than 80 days have passed since U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) finalized the import duties. CBP maintained that businesses seeking refunds for these tariffs would need to file their own lawsuits.

In approving the class-action lawsuit, Judge Richard Eaton of the CIT stated that the decision is expected to allow CBP to review and reopen previously finalized import records so businesses can receive refunds for the IEEPA tariffs they paid.

Importantly, the lawsuit also covers businesses that have not filed their own lawsuits, giving more companies a path to recover these costs. Judge Eaton noted that some importers, particularly small businesses, may not have requested refunds because they were unaware of the process or believed pursuing a refund would be too expensive.

The Justice Department is expected to appeal the decision, which would send the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

To read the court opinion and order, click here.

The RV Industry Association will continue to provide information as it becomes available. For a comprehensive overview of tariffs currently enacted, view the tariff tracker. 

For additional information, please contact Samantha Rocci, Director of Federal Affairs (srocci@rvia.org).