Trump customs order makes importers certify supply chains and post bonds
Rule ChangesA June 2026 executive order shifts compliance burden and liability onto anyone bringing goods into the United States
September 1st, 2026: Penalty and export-document rules dueNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated Jun 11For decades, importing into the United States mostly meant filing paperwork and paying duties. A June 3 executive order changed that, requiring importers to certify supply-chain compliance, disclose who really owns their business, and hold U.S. assets to cover any duties owed.
The order appeared in the Federal Register on June 10 and is now operative. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin — who replaced Kristi Noem after she was fired in March — now owns the implementation deadlines. Companies that can't prove good standing with Customs and Border Protection face losing import access; foreign sellers face the strictest new limits.
Why it matters
Anyone importing goods into the U.S. now faces new certifications, bonds, and personal liability for what's inside their supply chain.
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The agency that screens imports, collects duties, and will now vet and rank importers by compliance history.
The cabinet department responsible for writing the rules the order requires.
Timeline
August 2025 December 2026
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Core importer rules due
Upcoming DeadlineWithin 180 days, CBP must set asset, bond, and good-standing requirements for every importer of record.
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Penalty and export-document rules due
Latest DeadlineWithin 90 days, CBP must revise penalties and require foreign export documentation for entries.
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Legislative recommendations due
DeadlineDHS owes the President proposals for laws to back the new enforcement regime within 45 days.
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Order published in Federal Register
LegalPublication makes the order official and starts the clock on its 45, 90, and 180-day deadlines.
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President signs the customs order
Executive ActionTrump signs 'Strengthening Customs Enforcement,' directing CBP to remake importer requirements.
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Senate confirms Markwayne Mullin as DHS Secretary
PersonnelThe Senate voted 54-45 to confirm Mullin as the 9th Secretary of Homeland Security, handing him oversight of the customs order's upcoming implementation milestones.
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Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary
PersonnelTrump removed Noem following controversy over an immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis where two U.S. citizens were killed. She was reassigned as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas initiative.
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De minimis loophole closed
PolicyAn earlier order ended duty-free treatment for low-value parcels, a precursor to broader import enforcement.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Customs Modernization Act (1993)
Congress passed the 'Mod Act' as part of the NAFTA implementing law. It introduced 'informed compliance' and 'reasonable care,' shifting the duty of getting entries right onto importers rather than Customs. Importers became legally responsible for correctly valuing and classifying their own goods.
Importers faced new recordkeeping rules and the threat of penalties for negligent errors.
It set the template for a self-policing import system that the 2026 order now extends further.
Both moves push compliance work and liability onto importers. The new order builds on the burden the Mod Act first created.
Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (2001-2002)
After the September 11 attacks, Customs launched a voluntary program letting companies earn faster clearance by proving their supply chains were secure. Members opened their logistics to inspection in exchange for fewer delays at the border.
Thousands of firms joined to avoid slower processing as security tightened.
It created a two-tier system where vetted 'trusted traders' move faster than everyone else.
The new order leans on this trusted-trader idea. Validated CTPAT members get smoother paths while others face heavier vetting.
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (2021-2022)
Congress barred goods made wholly or partly in China's Xinjiang region unless importers could prove no forced labor was used. The law created a 'rebuttable presumption' that placed the burden of proof on the importer to trace its supply chain.
CBP detained billions of dollars in shipments as companies struggled to document origins.
It normalized demanding deep supply-chain traceability from importers as a condition of entry.
The new order generalizes that demand. It asks importers to certify and document supply chains across many laws, not just forced labor.
