Costco Wholesale, one of the largest and most influential retail chains in the United States, filed a lawsuit Monday, Dec. 1, against administration of Donald Trump seeking to recover millions of dollars in tariffs paid during 2025 and to prevent new charges from continuing to accrue while the Supreme Court analyzes the legality of those levies.
The company argues that it is about to lose its legal right to refunds due to a deadline imposed by federal authorities.
According to the lawsuit, Costco warned that December 15 is the final deadline to close the process known as liquidation, a procedure by which Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determines the final amount of duties on imported products.
Once these settlements are closed, companies lose the legal ability to recover payments, even if the courts later determine that the tariffs were illegal.
For Costco, this scenario represents a considerable economic risk.
The company has already paid significant tariffs for the importation of various products during 2025 and fears that, if the Supreme Court eventually invalidates the tariffs, those amounts may not be recovered.
As a result, the company asked a federal judge to order CBP to stop collecting future tariffs while the case remains under review by the highest court.
According to court documents, Costco formally asked CBP for an extension of the settlement deadline, but the agency denied the request.
This leaves the company exposed not only to losing the refunds, but also to continuing to pay tariffs that could prove unjustified if the Supreme Court issues a favorable ruling to importers in the coming months.
The legal background is complex, but relevant to millions of U.S. Hispanic consumers, especially those who rely on Costco for affordable food, electronics, household products and bulk items.
The tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration have generated increases in import costs that, in many cases, are passed on to the final price paid by families.
Costco’s lawsuit also recalls that both the Court of International Trade and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals have warned, in previous cases, that companies lose refund rights if their entries have already been settled, even when it is later determined that the tariffs were set illegally.
In other words, the company could face irreversible losses if the Supreme Court does not rule before the settlements close.
For the Hispanic community, this dispute is not just a technical issue between a corporation and the federal government.
The resolution of the case Costco vs Trump could directly impact the cost of basic commodities at a time when inflation and prices of imported goods remain a central concern for Latino families in the country.
A ruling in favor of Costco would not only allow the company to recover payments, but could also curb increases in consumer prices.
The Supreme Court continues to evaluate the legality of the tariffs and is expected to make a decision sometime in 2026.
Filed under: Costco sues Trump administration
