Administration 

• President Trump said that he will impose 50% tariffs on any country that sells military weapons to Iran. 
• President Trump said that the U.S. will consider tariff and sanctions relief for Iran as it negotiates an end to the war.  

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

• CBP released a new Harmonized System Update containing over 500 Automated Broker Interface records and 116 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, including updates to 232 duties on aluminum, steel, and copper imports. 
• CBP and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) seized nearly 350,000 batteries that did not comply with child protective packaging standards. 

Court of International Trade (CIT) stayed on another IEEPA refund case filed by importer Euro-Notions Florida, and reissued its order requiring CBP to pay IEEPA refunds for all unliquidated, not finally liquidated, and finally liquidated entries.  

Department of Labor (DOL) 

• DOL introduced new tools to support supply chain integrity and address unf
• The lead plaintiff in the IEEPA refund case filed a notice of dismissal in its case at the CIT on April 6. Shortly after, Judge Eaton lifted their foreign labor practices. 

United States Trade Representative (USTR) 

• U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that USMCA negotiations are likely to continue past the July 1 deadline, citing the Trump Administration’s dissatisfaction with a lot of the outcomes of USMCA, including a significant surge of auto imports from Mexico and steel and aluminum imports from both countries. 

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

• Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCen) and OFAC issued a joint proposed rule to implement provisions of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act).  

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 

• OFAC issued Russia-related General License 13Q, “Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions Prohibited by Directive 4 under Executive Order 14024.”  
• OFAC published Spanish translations of several Venezuela General Licenses, including licenses involving Venezuelan-origin oil, petrochemical products, and diluents.   

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

• Importer F&D international filed a complaint against the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, alleging the FDA unjustifiably detained shipments of imported frozen roasted eel. 
• The FDA posted new and revised Import Alerts on several products including: raw and cooked shrimp from India, processed foods for pesticides, and new tobacco products without required marketing authorization. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

• USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) extended the comment period for the amendments to the regulation that provides for the issuance of annual licenses to import certain dairy products under tariff rate quotas. 

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)  

• CPSC added two new frequently asked questions to its eFiling website, guiding filing requirements for noncommercial products and resold products that are meant to be distributed in commerce. 

International News 

• China published new supply-chain security and retaliation regulations establishing a formal system for investigating and responding to foreign actions deemed harmful to the country’s industrial and supply‑chain security. 

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

• On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Learning Resources, Inc., et al. v. Trump, ruling that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs. 

Administration 

• In response to the Supreme Court’s IEEPA ruling, President Trump issued a Proclamation imposing a 10% tariff on all goods under Section 122 of the Trade Act. The President also announced that he will be increasing it to the lawful maximum of 15%, but the effective date has not yet been set. 
• President Trump signed an Executive Order continuing the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries. 
• The U.S. and Bangladesh released a joint statement on reciprocal trade. The U.S. is lowering the tariffs on Bangladeshi exports to 19% rather than the 20%. The U.S. will also establish a mechanism for a tariff rate quota for Bangladeshi textile and apparel imports, with goods coming in under the quota entering duty-free.  
• President Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S.’s trade deal with Japan is moving forward and that Japan will make its first set of investments under its $550 billion dollar commitment. 
• The Trump Administration signed a final reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan that will impose a 15% tariff rate for imports from Taiwan. Taiwan committed to eliminating or lowering tariffs on nearly all U.S. goods. 
• The Trump Administration released its 2026 Maritime Action Plan which proposes a universal fee on all foreign-built vessels entering U.S. ports as well as a land port maintenance tax to prevent cargo carriers from avoiding paying the Harbor Maintenance Fee. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)   

• CBP issued guidance on the 10% Section 122 tariff. The guidance includes a list of the tariff numbers associated with the tariff and its exemptions. 
• CBP published a CSMS message ending the collection of IEEPA tariffs on goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse on or after 2/24 at 12:01am. 
• CBP’s base metals Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) released updated guidance for calculating steel, aluminum and copper content for Section 232 tariff purposes.  
• UFLPA Enforcement Statistics Dashboard update: in the previous dashboard, a shipment was defined as an aggregate of the totality of goods subjected to UFLPA enforcement actions. Now, a shipment is now defined as an individual import transaction within a shipment entry or customs declaration. This modification has resulted in a significant change in the number of UFLPA enforcement actions displayed.  
• CBP released a fact sheet regarding the January 2026 Lapse in Appropriations FAQs. Most CBP employees will still be working and trade operations will continue as normal. 

Congress  

• A group of democratic U.S. House members introduced a bill that would require CBP to pay refunds for reciprocal tariffs without importers having to make protests or file an application. 
• U.S. Senators Cassidy and Whitehouse introduced the Last Sale Valuation Act, which would end the practice of first sale to reduce duty exposure.   
• The U.S. House of Representatives voted to end the Canada emergency that underlies 35% tariffs on a subset of Canadian goods that are not covered by USMCA or Section 232. The Senate will now need to vote on the measure to send it to the President’s desk.  
• The Fighting Trade Cheats Act was re-introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators. The bill would increase the penalty for trade fraud and create a right of private action to sue on customs fraud and gross negligence. 

Department of Commerce  

• A new antidumping and countervailing duty action has been filed against certain fatty acids from Indonesia and Malaysia. The allegation is that imports from Indonesia and Malaysia are unfairly subsidized and are being dumped.  
• A new antidumping and countervailing duty action has been filed against Truck Bed Covers from China. The allegation is that imports from China are unfairly subsidized and being dumped.   

International Trade Commission (ITC)  

• The ITC posted the 2026 edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The new edition includes a variety of updates impacting medicines, fruits, vegetables, and other products. Changes are effective as of February 1.  

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) 

• BIS announced a settlement agreement with Applied Materials Inc. of California and Applied Materials Korea, Ltd. covering illegal exports of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. The companies agreed to pay a penalty of approximately $252 million – the second-highest penalty ever imposed by BIS. 

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

• The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) launched a new dedicated webpage to confidentially accept whistleblower tips on fraud, money laundering, and sanctions violations. 

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)   

• OFAC is launching a new online Voluntary Self-Disclosure Portal to provide a streamlined, secure method for submitting voluntary self-disclosures of potential violations of OFAC-administered sanctions programs.    
• OFAC announced a $1.72M settlement with IMG Academy, LLC to settle its potential civil liability for 89 apparent violations of OFAC counternarcotics sanctions.  
• OFAC announced that a U.S. person agreed to pay $3.7M to settle their potential civil liability for 20 apparent violations of OFAC sanctions on Syria. 

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)  

• The CPSC published a list of approximately 600 HTS codes for products that may require the electronic filing of import certificates once the eFiling requirement takes effect this summer.   

Industry News   

• During Ford Motor Co.’s earnings call, the company revealed that its tariff costs jumped by almost $900 million in 2025 after the Trump administration informed the company that it could only apply Section 232 tariff credits back to November, rather than to May.  
• Twenty eight industry groups signed a letter to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) expressing concern with the Section 232 tariffs administrative burden and asking for additional hearings and opportunity to comment on inclusion & exclusion decisions. 

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

Administration  

• Via a post on X, President Trump threatened to block the opening of a second bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Canada, “until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given.”   
• The Trump administration is reportedly considering tariff exemptions for major U.S. hyperscalers involved in construction of data centers needed for AI.
• The U.S. and Bangladesh released a joint statement on reciprocal trade. The U.S. is lowering the tariffs on Bangladeshi exports to 19% rather than the 20%. The U.S. will also establish a mechanism for a tariff rate quota for Bangladeshi textile and apparel imports, with goods coming in under the quota entering duty-free. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

• CBP’s base metals Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) released updated guidance for calculating steel, aluminum and copper content for Section 232 tariff purposes. 
• UFLPA Enforcement Statistics Dashboard update: in the previous dashboard, a shipment was defined as an aggregate of the totality of goods subjected to UFLPA enforcement actions. Now, a shipment is now defined as an individual import transaction within a shipment entry or customs declaration. This modification has resulted in a significant change in the number of UFLPA enforcement actions displayed. 
• CBP announced the agency is updating how a broker may access the importer view in the ACE Portal and that customs brokers who receive electronic refunds on behalf of their clients will need to set up the ability to view an importer’s record in the portal.  
• CBP updated its guidance on tariffs on imports from India to reflect the end of the 25% tariff imposed on India for its imports of Russian oil. 

Congress 

• U.S. Senators Cassidy and Whitehouse introduced the Last Sale Valuation Act, which would end the practice of first sale to reduce duty exposure.  
• The U.S. House of Representatives voted to end the Canada emergency that underlies 35% tariffs on a subset of Canadian goods that are not covered by USMCA or Section 232. The Senate will now need to vote on the measure to send it to the President’s desk. 
• A group of U.S. House Republicans introduced a bill that would create criminal penalties for importing pill press machines. 

United States Trade Representative (USTR)  

• Representative Greer stated in an interview with Fox Business that Indonesia will be the “next big one” for trade deals and that the deal will be finalized within the next couple of weeks.  

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  

• New import alerts – detention without physical examination of: 
• Raw Agricultural Products for Pesticides. 
• Dried Peppers from Mexico. 

Federal Maritime Commission  

• A FMC administrative law judge dismissed a complaint that motor carrier Elite Logistics filed against ocean transportation intermediary Tanera Transport, citing a lack of jurisdiction. 

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)  

• OFAC is launching a new online Voluntary Self-Disclosure Portal to provide a streamlined, secure method for submitting voluntary self-disclosures of potential violations of OFAC-administered sanctions programs.  
• OFAC issued Venezuela General License 48 and Venezuela General License 46A, authorizing the supply of certain items and services and certain activities involving Venezuelan-origin oil. 

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)  

• The CPSC published a Federal Register Notice stating that the agency is revising its safety standard for crib mattresses to implement an update to the voluntary ASTM standard. 

Industry News  

• During Ford Motor Co.’s earnings call, the company revealed that its tariff costs jumped by almost $900 million in 2025 after the Trump administration informed the company that it could only apply Section 232 tariff credits back to November, rather than to May.
• Twenty eight industry groups signed a letter to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) expressing concern with the Section 232 tariffs administrative

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

Administration 

• Via a Truth Social Post, President Trump announced that after speaking with Indian Prime Minister Modi, the U.S. will drop reciprocal tariffs on India from 25% to 18%. 
• During a meeting at the State Department, Vice President Vance said that the U.S. is seeking to organize a preferential trade zone for critical minerals. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

• CBP announced a new and improved Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Enforcement Statistics Dashboard that provides a more detailed view of CBP’s enforcement actions.  
• CBP issued a Withhold Release Order against coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande, a Mexican coffee farm. Effective immediately, CBP at all U.S. ports of entry will detain coffee harvested by Finca Monte Grande. 

Department of Commerce 

• A new antidumping and countervailing duty action has been filed against certain fatty acids from Indonesia and Malaysia. The allegation is that imports from Indonesia and Malaysia are unfairly subsidized and are being dumped. 

United States Trade Representative (USTR) 

• U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer joined Guatemala’s Minister of Economy Adriana Gabriela Garcia in signing the United States–Guatemala Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. 
• U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced a plan to develop a critical minerals cooperation agreement with the European Union and Japan. 

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) 

• Export Compliance Daily reports that BIS has stopped work with most industry advisory committees that it has used for years to seek expert feedback on export controls.   

International Trade Commission (ITC) 

• The ITC posted the 2026 edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The new edition includes a variety of updates impacting medicines, fruits, vegetables, and other products. Changes are effective as of February 1.   

World Trade Organization (WTO) 

• A WTO dispute panel found that the U.S.’s electric vehicle tax credits violate various WTO commitments. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

• The FDA published several new import alerts on seafood, including seafood products due to the presence of Salmonella and raw and cooked shrimp from India. 

Federal Maritime Commission 

• President Trump designated Laura DiBella to serve as Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. Her term expires June 30, 2028. 
• The Senate Commerce Committee voted 15-13 to approve President Trump’s nomination of Robert Harvey to fill a vacancy on the FMC. The nomination now heads to the full Senate for its consideration. 

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 

• OFAC issued an amendment to the Venezuela FAQ regarding what is authorized under  Venezuela-related General License 5U. 

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 

• The CPSC published a list of approximately 600 HTS codes for products that may require the electronic filing of import certificates once the eFiling requirement takes effect this summer.  

Congress 

• Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden and Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote a letter to USTR and the Department of Commerce asking the administration to explain how it decided which goods would be exempt from reciprocal tariffs. 

Industry News 

A new industry study finds that 41% of counterfeit apparel, footwear, and accessory products fail to meet product safety standards.

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

Administration 

• President Trump threatened, via Truth Social, that he is increasing South Korean tariffs from 15% to 25% because that country’s legislature has not approved the trade deal that was announced over the summer. 
• President Trump threatened Canada with 100% tariffs if Canada “makes a deal with China.”  

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

• According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), CBP did not fully follow through on addressing security incidents involving some participants in the agency’s Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program. 
• CBP published a quick reference guide on submitting withhold release order and finding modification requests to the new forced labor portal. 
• Upcoming CBP webinar: New World Screwworm (NWS) Impact to U.S. – February 3, 1:00 PM EST. Register here. 

Court of International Trade 

• Importer Express Fasteners filed a lawsuit challenging the application of informal CBP guidance on Section 232 steel and aluminum content valuation, claiming CBP failed to follow required “notice and comment” rulemaking procedures.  
• The CIT ruled that Nvidia Crypto Mining Chips are machine parts, and thus not eligible for an exclusion from Section 301 China tariffs. 

World Customs Organization (WCO) 

• The WCO published amendments to the 2028 Harmonized System. The 2028 amendments, comprise 299 sets of amendments and will enter into force on January 1, 2028. 

United States Trade Representative (USTR) 

• The U.S. Lumber Coalition sent a letter to USTR urging the agency to scrap the USMCA binational panel review system during the USMCA review process. The coalition argued that the system should be eliminated in light of Canada’s recent efforts to dramatically expand the power and authority of the panels. 
• The Office of the USTR said that the U.S. and Mexico have agreed to begin formal discussions on possible structural and strategic reforms in USMCA Joint Review including stronger rules of origin for key industrial goods. 

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) 

• The FMC launched an investigation into possible non-compliance of the Shipping Act by ocean common carriers that may be unjustly and unreasonably restricting motor carriers and shippers in their choice of chassis providers. 
• The FMC assessed a civil penalty of $22.67 million against Mediterranean Shipping Company for three types of Shipping Act violations. 

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 

• The CPSC is seeking comment on revised standards governing infant and cradle swings. Comments are due by February 12. 
• The CPSC is seeking comment on revised standards governing portable hook-on chairs. Comments are due by February 12. 

Congress 

• The likely government shutdown set to start on January 31 will impact some trade agencies. BIS, EPA, and USDA have already been funded. However, other agencies such as OFAC and the FDA would be impacted.  
• The Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026 passed the House Transportation Committee. The bill would give the president the authority to prohibit passenger ships and cargo ships from calling on U.S. ports if they visited the former Vulcan Materials port in Mexico. 
• House Representative Rick Allen of Georgia introduced a bill to pay forest landowners, timber harvesting businesses and timber hauling businesses for revenue loss. The bill proposes funding the payments through duties collected on Canadian softwood lumber.  

International News 

• The leader of the EU trade committee said that the committee didn’t make a decision on resuming discussions about lowering tariffs on U.S. exports. The committee will meet again on February 4 to reassess. 

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

• CBP issued a withhold release order against imports manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group. Effective November 18, CBP will immediately detain all garments, apparel, and textiles coming from Firemount factories in Mauritius. 
• CBP is accepting applications through December 19 for members of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC).  
• CBP completed a training with True Pedigree, a software provider specializing in detecting counterfeits and gray market diversions. True Pedigree’s AGMA One Device aims to help CBP officers with authenticating products entering the U.S. The tool could be rolled out at U.S. ports early next year. 
• Management of CBP’s drawback program, as well as its drawback specialists, has been moved to the Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Mineral Center of Excellence and Expertise in Houston.  
• CBP is urging customs brokers who filed entries after tariff exemptions on agricultural products retroactively took effect to file corrections as soon as possible.  
• CBP published a Federal Register notice amending its regulations for the Air Cargo Advanced Screening program (ACAS). The new regulations require additional data on flights carrying cargo to the U.S. The rule is effective November 21. 
• DHS and CBP announced a pilot program enabling third-party logistics partners (3PLs) to join the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program. 

Administration 

• On November 20, President Trump issued an Executive Order lowering tariffs on Brazilian goods. The Order removes the 40% tariff on a large swath of agricultural products including coffee and beef. 
• Speaking at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, President Trump said that if the Supreme Court rules against the use of IEEPA to impose reciprocal tariffs, the administration will find another way to impose tariffs. 

Department of Justice 

• The owner of an Indonesian jewelry company and two employees were charged with taking part in a scheme to evade over $86 million in duties on jewelry imports. According to the release, the scheme involved routing shipments through a foreign intermediary and returning them to the United States under the guise of ‘U.S. goods returned,’ significantly reducing the duties owed.  

Court of International Trade (CIT) 

• Several companies filed new lawsuits in the CIT challenging President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA: 
• Mazak Corporation 
• Proterial America Ricoh USA Inc., and its affiliates Ricoh Printing Systems America LLC, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corp.. 
• PFU Americas Inc., Etria Manufacturing USA, Inc., and Ricoh Electronics, Inc..  
• Standex International Corporation 
• Yokohama Tire Corporation 
• AGS Company Automotive Solutions 
• Pulse Wire & Cable LLC 
• Gadot America, Inc. 
• Imaginings 3, Inc., d/b/a Flix Candy 
• NGK Automotive Ceramics USA, Inc. 
• Sumitomo Chemical America Inc.; Valent U.S.A. LLC; Valent Biosciences LLC; Sumika Polymers North America LLC; Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technologies LLC; Sumika Semiconductor Materials Texas Inc.; and McLaughlin Gormley King Company 
• Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corporation 
• Zak Designs, Inc. 
• SAM HPRP Chemicals Inc. d/b/a SAM Nutrition 
• Revlon Consumer Products LLC, Elizabeth Arden Inc., and Roux Laboratories Inc. 
• Ferguson Enterprises, LLC; Clawfoot Supply, LLC; Minka Lighting, LLC; Jones Stephens Corp.; James Martin Signature Vanities, LLC; Millenium Lighting Inc.; Royal Pacific Limited; and FE Products, Inc.,  
• Wiesner Products Inc. and Mystic Apparel LLC 
• Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC; Dana Sealing Products, LLC; Dana Sealing Manufacturing, LLC; Dana Thermal Products, LLC; Dana Driveshaft Products, LLC; Dana Driveshaft Manufacturing, LLC; Dana Light Axle Products, LLC; Dana Light Axle Manufacturing, LLC; Dana Commercial Vehicles Products, LLC; Dana Commercial Vehicle Manufacturing, LLC; Dana Off Highway Products, LLC; Dana Global Products, Inc.; Dana SAC USA Inc.; Warren Manufacturing LLC; Dana TM4 USA, LLC; PI Innovo LLC; Dana Automotive Manufacturing Inc.; Dana Italia SRL; Dana Belgium N.V.; and Dana Canada Corporation 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

• The Commerce Department announced it would delay all AD/CVD enforcement and compliance deadlines for 47 days, the length of the government shutdown.  

United States Trade Representative (USTR) 

• USTR, in partnership with the Department of Commerce, Small Business Administration, and Governments of Canada and Mexico, convened the 4th United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Dialogue in Phoenix. 

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) 

• The Senate Commerce Committee voted to approve the nomination of Laura DiBella to fill a vacancy on the FMC. Her nomination now heads to the full Senate for consideration.  

Congress 

• Russia sanctions bill gains momentum in Congress. Several Senators have called for a vote on the Sanctioning Russia Act, which would impose new sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it fails to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine. 
• The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released its 2025 annual report. The report recommends that de minimis be terminated, and that Congress ban the import of energy storage systems that have remote monitoring capabilities made in China. 

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

Congress

• After 43 days of halted operations, the United States federal government reopened on November 12, 2025. The funding bill, approved by the Senate on November 10 and by the House later that day. The bill funds most government operations through January 30, 2026.
• U.S. House Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick asking a series of pointed questions about the Administration’s decision to resume chip exports from Nexperia’s China factory.
• All members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The letter urges the agency to delay implementation of the new U.S.-EU trade deal until the EU revises its deforestation reporting requirements, claiming the requirements would harm American timber exports.

Administration 

• President Trump announced trade deals with El Salvador, Argentina, Ecuador, and Guatemala. As part of the deal, the U.S. is eliminating 15% tariffs on Ecuadoran bananas and cocoa, and 10% tariffs on Guatemalan coffee and Argentinian beef.
• In an interview with Fox News, President Trump said that there will be upcoming “surgical” reductions to reciprocal tariffs. When asked about the comment, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Administration would be making announcements soon on reducing tariffs on items such as coffee, bananas, and other fruit. 
• President Trump posted on Truth Social that the Administration would be giving dividends of $2,000 to Americans from the revenues collected from his tariff policy.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• CBP announced a new opportunity for retired Border Patrol Agents and Officers to rejoin the agency. Retired employees can now return to duty, earn full pay, and keep retirement benefits.
• Via a cargo systems message, CBP reminded industry that it plans to enforce validations to e214 submissions and foreign-trade zone admission transactions in ACE starting December 11.
• CBP announced that the agency is taking steps to automate the broker license applications. Starting November 14, applicants must complete all applications and pay fees through the eCBP portal. 
• CBP provided an update on the tariff rates for products from China subject to the IEEPA fentanyl and reciprocal tariffs effective November 10.

Court of International Trade (CIT)

• The CIT granted default judgment against importer Rago Tires for negligence in importing tires by not declaring the goods as subject to Chinese AD/CV duties. The judge ordered Rago to pay a $14,108.87 penalty.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

• A federal jury convicted a New York fiber laser expert of two counts of economic espionage and one count of theft of trade secrets for stealing sensitive defense research from his employer and attempting to share it with China.

Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC)

• OFAC, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce, issued a Tri-Seal Advisory: Sanctions and Export Controls Relief for Syria. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

• Importers continue to experience FDA delays in processing imports. The slowdown was driven by a combination of factors: the government shutdown, the transition from a regional to a national processing program, and increased scrutiny of imported products subject to import alerts. Via International Trade Today.

Department of the Interior (DOI)

• The DOI released its final 2025 list of critical minerals, adding ten additional minerals to the list. These minerals could become subject to Section 232 tariffs, depending on the outcome of BIS’s critical mineral investigation.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

• A new G20 report by the WTO reveals that the surge in new tariffs came with measures to increase trade. Trade covered by tariffs in G20 economies increased about four times as much from mid-October 2024 to mid-October 2025 compared to the prior reporting period, marking the largest increase in the history of WTO trade monitoring.

International News

• China announced the one-year suspension of export controls on certain key critical minerals and other dual-use items that were banned from being shipped to the U.S. for military uses.

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!

Administration  

• President Trump issued an executive order on cutting fentanyl tariffs on China to 10%, effective Nov. 10.  
• President Trump issued an executive order extending the suspension of the 34% reciprocal tariff rate on China until Nov. 10, 2026. 

Industry News  

• The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump – the case that challenges whether the President has the authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA.  
• Diaz Trade Law filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, challenging the legal authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA. The case was filed in the CIT on behalf of several importers. 
• A class action lawsuit was filed against the Trump Administration, challenging the legal authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA. The case was brought on behalf of small businesses that import from China and the EU and potentially includes thousands of class members.  

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

• CBP issued a Harmonized System Update that covers updates for the Section 232 duties on medium and heavy-duty vehicles.  
• CBP officers in Chicago seized a shipment containing counterfeit watches. If genuine, the merchandise would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price over $8.5 million. 
• CBP officers in Louisville seized a shipment containing counterfeit watches. Louisville seized two shipments from Hong Kong the night of Oct. 28. If genuine, the merchandise would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $6.6 million. 

United States Trade Representative (USTR)  

• USTR received over 1,500 comments in its docket considering whether the U.S. wants to continue the USMCA. Many commenters urged the administration to reaffirm the agreement for another 16-year term.  

U.S. Census Bureau 

• The U.S. Census Bureau released issue 31 of its TradeSource publication. The issue includes state-level trade statistics, export insights, new export tools, and more. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  

• The FDA issued 18 warning letters to owners of websites illegally marketing unapproved and misbranded botulinum toxin products, commonly called Botox. 

Congress  

• Government shutdown – the FAA announced that due to the effects of the prolonged shutdown, flight capacity will be cut at 40 major airports by 10%. U.S. logistics companies warned that this could markedly slow deliveries of air freight right at the peak of the air shipping season.
• Several members of the House Select Committee on China and the Foreign Affairs Committee sent a letter to the Commerce Department urging the department to restrict products from China in key sectors, including grid technology, pipelines, and water systems.  
• House Representative Moolenaar of Michigan introduced a bill that would require entities seeking a license to export advanced artificial intelligence chips to countries of concern to certify that U.S. persons have priority in acquiring those chips. 
• Senator Scott of Florida introduced The Protecting Americans from Harmful CCP Products Act, which would give the Consumer Product Safety Commission expanded authority to issue mandatory recalls of hazardous products manufactured or sold by Chinese companies. 

Want more customs and international trade news? Sign up for our weekly snapshot!