Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade news:  

Administration 

  • President Trump issued a proclamation and fact sheet announcing a 25% tariff on certain semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and their derivatives. 
  • President Trump said in a Truth Social post that he will immediately impose a 25% tariff on any Country doing business with Iran. The White House has not yet issued an executive order or proclamation imposing the tariffs. 

Supreme Court 

  • The Supreme Court scheduled an opinion release date on January 14, but did not release its ruling on the highly anticipated IEEPA tariffs case. The Court has not yet announced when the next opinion release date will be. 
  • The Respondent merit briefs were filed in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, a case before the Supreme Court that will determine whether freight brokers may be held liable under varying state laws for accidents involving federally licensed motor carriers. Oral arguments will be held on March 4, 2026. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

  • CBP modified the Withhold Release Order on FGV Holdings Berhad in Malaysia. As of Jan. 15, 2026, the U.S. will no longer detain at ports of entry palm oil and palm oil products produced by FGV.
  • CBP announced via a cargo systems message that the agency added more parties to the list of those qualified to pay duties on international mail shipments. 
  • During the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee’s January meeting, the committee voted to submit eight recommendations to CBP on the need for clearer guidance on compliance with Section 232 tariffs. 
  • CBP agriculture specialists intercepted khapra beetle remains, touted as the world’s most invasive grain pest, at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. 
  • Reminder: Beginning January 21, 2026, importers seeking review of shipments that have been detained or excluded for forced labor enforcement must submit their review requests via CBP’s new forced labor portal. 
Department of Commerce
  • Commerce announced a trade deal with Taiwan that will reduce tariffs on Taiwanese auto parts from 25% to 15%. The reciprocal tariff for Taiwan will also be cut from 20% to 15%.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)  

  • BIS issued a rule revising its licensing policy for semiconductor exports to China. BIS will now review export license applications for the Nvidia H200, AMD MI325X, and similar chips on a case-by-case basis provided certain security requirements are met.

Court of International Trade (CIT) 

  • The CIT confirmed that potential refunds from tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) applies to all current and future similarly situated plaintiffs, including tariffs on India and Brazil that aren’t at issue in the Supreme Court case.  
  • The CIT upheld countervailing duties on Vietnamese shrimp producer and exporter Soc Trang Seafood Joint Stock Company (Stapimex). The countervailing duties will remain at 2.84%. 

Federal Maritime Commission 

  • Laura DiBella of Florida was sworn in as a Commissioner of the FMC. Commissioner DiBella will serve for a term that expires on June 30, 2028. 

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 

  • OFAC imposed sanctions against key Iranian leaders involved in the crackdown against the Iranian people. Targeted individuals include those who played critical roles in laundering proceeds of Iranian petroleum sales, and those responsible for violence targeting protesters. Full SDN list here.
  • OFAC published two amended Russia FAQs, one regarding license 131B and the other regarding general licenses relating to Lukoil International.  

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

  • The party countries to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) approved amendments to the endangered species listings, adding several dozen species to the list. Starting March 5, 2026, all shipments containing these species must be accompanied by the appropriate CITES document.

Congress 

  • The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing about maintaining the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions such as music and software. 
  • The House of Representatives passed two bills that would restore the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Haiti HELP trade preference program. The bills would also extend the current tariff breaks through the end of 2028. 

International News 

  • The Canada Border Services Agency issued a notice outlining its updated trade compliance priorities for 2026. Priorities include tariff rate quota, duties and taxes, and USMCA origin verifications. 

Industry News 

  • According to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau, the monthly U.S. trade deficit in goods and services plummeted 39.1% in October 2025, the lowest point since June 2009. 

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