A recent Supreme Court decision found many of President Trump's most sweeping tariffs to be illegal, prompting the federal government to figure out how, and who, gets a refund for the money collected over the many months in which the tariffs were in place.
Peter Hans Matthews, an economics professor at Middlebury College and a distinguished visiting professor at the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics in Finland, says that Vermont is embedded in a complex network of supply chains and production networks as many goods at various stages of production will cross the border multiple times. Matthews says part of the problem is that Canadian producers would be impacted by the tariffs more than the American producers and consumers.
“You might argue that the right people to be sending refunds to are American consumers, other businesses, often small businesses, who were not in a position to absorb the cost of the tariff. They're entitled to refunds, and those refunds ought to be as easily obtained as possible. I fear that many will give up and will amount to a one-time profit tax that's going to pay for lots of things.”
Ania Fuller, director of consulting and regulatory affairs for the St. Albans-based customs brokerage A.N. Deringer, says that there are many hurdles businesses will face in recouping these funds.
"There are a lot of a lot of regulations, and a lot of tariffs are product specific," Fuller said. "When you import into the United States, there is this concept of classification. You have to classify every good you import according to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, but then you have to make sure that after that classification is done you understand what regulations apply to your product, and what tariffs apply and what you have to pay in duties. It can be very complicated."
The refund process is time-consuming and complex. Fuller said U.S. Customs and Border Protection has provided resources and tutorials on how to submit refund requests.
“I would strongly advise importers to do analysis, work with a broker again, to see if you paid a lot in those [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] duties,” Fullers said. “Brokers offer services to see if it’s worth investing your money and time overall. It's a cumbersome process that you must go through on top of it all.”
Vermont Senator Peter Welch, he said the tariff back-and-forth under Trump has had a self-harming effect. He said fertilizer imported from Canada is subject to tariffs, creating a headache for farmers and that it's been "extremely painful for our farmers. It just shocks me that the Trump administration that claims that it's for rural America is doing so much that is causing such harm,” Welch said.
Welch, a Democrat, said that there are other ways to get relief to businesses and consumers: by ending the war in Iran and lifting tariffs.
“A partial farm bill has been passed, but we have much more to do that is going to help us get through this and stabilize prices for farmers and try to bring down the cost,” Welch said.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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