Trump order tightens customs checks on foreign importers

President Trump’s executive order on customs enforcement would make it harder for importers of record, or IORs, to move goods through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, without stronger proof of who they are and what they owe. The order says the point is to stop unlawful and dangerous goods, catch duty evasion and close gaps that let bad actors work around customs rules.

The practical effect is a harder gate at the border for companies that have treated customs clearance as a paperwork exercise. The order says enforcement should also protect national security, foreign policy and the economy, while targeting undervalued imports, hidden ownership and schemes that avoid duties.

The new price of being listed as the importer

Within 180 days, Homeland Security is told to revise importer eligibility rules so IORs must keep a minimum amount of tangible domestic assets, post bonding or do both, and give CBP more information up front. That includes ownership and beneficial ownership details, expected import volumes and other data the agency wants to use to sort risk.

The order also calls for risk-based tiers, enhanced vetting and recurring vetting for people and companies involved in importing. It would remove inactive registrants from the system and bar foreign IORs from using informal entry. For formal entries, foreign IORs would face tighter limits on continuous bonds and would need CBP validation or a CBP-approved customs broker.