News / Tariff turmoil sees CBP recruit retirees to deal with the 'havoc'

Photo: © Danielfela

US tariffs have not triggered a spate of delays in customs clearance, forwarders report, but they have created hurdles and pitfalls.

Thus, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is anxious to fill its ranks, and the agency is courting retired officers to re-join.

Returnees can sign up for one to four years full time on full pay as well as undiminished retirement income, with possible extension of their term.

CBP has been short-staffed for years, and the priorities of the current administration have shifted the focus heavily to its clampdown on immigrants.

Robert Um, VP of customs brokerage at OEC, noted that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department has also been recruiting aggressively, which appears to have prompted some CBP officers to move to that department. According to some reports, ICE pays significantly higher recruitment bonuses than CBP.

The fact that CBP needs to bolster its ranks at a time when tariffs and the end of de minimis exemption have caused a surge in clearance work raises questions about the agency’s ability to perform this task in a timely manner.

This month, South Korea-based solar panel giant Qcells announced the temporary furlough of 1,000 workers – 25% of its US workforce – citing supply chain problems caused by customs delays of imports being cleared, which forced a scale-back in production.

According to several freight forwarders, however, import clearance times have not lengthened significantly. William Jansen, Seko’s director of customs brokerage services, said: “We have not seen a delay in CBP actions or clearances,”

On the contrary, he said he had seen more requests for information from the agency than ever before.

“The volume of requests has increased significantly, but even more so has the complexity. Where CBP used to request fairly basic questions and backup documentation, the requests have become far more invasive, as many look to review nearly every aspect of a product’s supply chain in one request. The timeline to respond has not changed, but the increased complexity has caused quite a burden in some cases,” he commented.

On CBP’s recruitment needs, he emphasised the importance of dealing with experienced officials who can give clear guidelines.

“My larger concern with these postings is whether the added staff is versed in this extremely complicated environment. Based on wording of executive orders regarding tariffs, it is clear CBP will be under pressure to collect revenue and identify bad actors; and importers need to have understanding and conviction of what they are declaring and how they would defend it if scrutinised,” he explained.

Other logistics providers share these concerns. Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association, said: “While our members have not reported widespread, systematic delays in finalising entry clearances, they have identified significant areas that are impacting trade efficiency.

“The primary challenge right now is the uncertainty surrounding new tariffs, which is causing frustrating delays in receiving clear and consistent guidance from various CBP offices. This confusion is forcing our members into time-consuming trial-and-error submissions. Additionally, we are monitoring administrative delays in liquidating entries and processing liquidated damage claims.

“We are urging CBP to proactively increase staffing to effectively manage current and projected volumes, and to streamline guidance to prevent current tariff uncertainty from becoming a long-term impediment to the efficient flow of air cargo,” he added.

To Joe Delli, president of Cargo Tours, the biggest hurdle in customs clearance has been the confusion caused by the administration’s frequent and abrupt changes in tariff policy, which was “wreaking havoc”, he said.

He added that one project his company had been involved in was ‘in limbo’, due to the heavy tariffs on steel and aluminium, which have catapulted costs way above budgets.

For its part, CBP has emphasised that the recruitment of retired personnel was not just about increasing staff numbers, but equally about bringing back experience and leadership.

“These initiatives recognise the invaluable experience and dedication of our former personnel,” said Melvin Harris, acting assistant commissioner for HR. “Their expertise is an asset to CBP, and we’re honoured to welcome them back.”

But Mr Levy fears confusion will grow rather than abate.

“I expect big problems if the Supreme Court decides to cancel the tariffs. All the brokers will have to issue protests to claim the money back,” he said. “We will also need to hire.

“Nightmare!”