News Articles

Global Chaos

Global Chaos and Global Trade – The New World Disorder and the Ensuing Economic Carnage

Bob Brewer January 26, 2026

On any given morning so far in 2026, looking around the globe, one could easily surmise that chaos rules, and the world of trade as result is on fire. The global landscape is filled with trade barriers, tariffs, sanctions, and export controls, from microchips and dairy to lumber, steel and aluminum. We have seen where geopolitical disputes often escalate into trade wars, where countries impose tariffs or targeted restrictions on each other’s goods, but an actual invasion, that’s on a totally different level regarding how it affects trade and global economies.

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usmca

The Upcoming USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC Review The Options are: A Renegotiation, A Few Revisions, or a Formal Exit

Bob Brewer January 10, 2026

The exit of a country, such as the U.S., from the USMCA, well, that’s just crazy, right? Afterall, it’s a powerhouse of a trade agreement between the three nations. According to the U.S. International Trade Administration, the United States conducts over $1.3 trillion in annual trade with Mexico and Canada under the USMCA framework and supports roughly 17 million jobs across North America.

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IEEPA Refund

Potential IEEPA Refunds Guidance

Adrienne Braumiller December 24, 2025

The legality of the Fentanyl IEEPA tariffs and the Reciprocal IEEPA tariffs is currently pending in the Supreme Court. A decision is expected in January, although it could come sooner, though the Court may not directly address refund mechanics. Instead, it could remand the issue to the Court of International Trade (CIT), which would delay guidance for several months.

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BRICS

BRICS and the Drive Towards De-Dollarization: Has It Stalled?

Victoria Holmes November 30, 2025

Could BRICS break the dollar’s grip? The answer is coming into sharper focus, and it’s more complicated than either the optimists or skeptics predicted. Since our previous analysis, BRICS has made concrete moves toward de-dollarization while simultaneously confronting harsh economic and political realities. The gap between ambition and achievement has never been clearer.

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tariffs

Taxing Imports: Tracing the Role of Tariffs in U.S. Economic Policy

Adrienne Braumiller November 30, 2025

In the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake. The snake is said to represent wisdom and strategy. As it occasionally sheds its skin, it is also said to represent a change or an inflection point. Whether American trade policy in the year of the snake exemplifies wisdom and strategy depends on one’s political perspective. Whether it exemplifies a major transformation and inflection point is unquestionable.

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Mexican Customs

New Mexican Customs Law – Nueva Ley Aduanera de Mexico

Brenda Cordova November 30, 2025

On November 19, 2025, a Decree amending, adding and repealing various legal provisions of the Mexican Customs law was published in the Diario Oficial de la Federacion (Mexican Official Gazette). This reform will enter into force on January 1, 2026. Although the Customs Law has been amended multiple times in the last 30 years, this reform is widely considered the most significant since December 15, 1995.

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tequila

Developing a Tequila Brand for Export from Mexico

Brenda Cordova November 30, 2025

The development of a tequila brand begins with a foundational step: registering a trademark in Mexico, the United States, or any other intended markets. However, trademark protection is only the starting point. Building a tequila brand requires a broader business and regulatory strategy involving multiple teams—Customs and trade, finance, marketing, and legal—to plan for production, cost structures, distribution, sales, and export-related compliance.

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New Value Manifest

New Value Manifest/Manifestacion de Valor – via VUCEM

Brenda Cordova November 30, 2025

Beginning December 9, 2025, importers in Mexico will be required to complete and submit the Electronic Value Manifest through VUCEM (Mexico’s Electronic Single Window). This measure increases the importer’s direct participation and responsibility in determining and declaring the correct customs value of imported goods.

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tariffs

Tariffs, Deals, Steel, Aluminum and AI – Oh My!  Welcome to the New Normal

Bruce Leeds November 30, 2025

New tariffs, changed tariffs, and reduced tariffs are announced with short notice. The duties on merchandise can change while a shipment is in the middle of the ocean. The status of free trade agreements has become uncertain. New detailed duties are assessed on steel and aluminum and their derivatives. Artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role.

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tariffs

Preserving Refund Rights for IEEPA-Based Tariffs

Adrienne Braumiller September 28, 2025

Importers who have paid tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) should take immediate steps to preserve their eligibility for potential refunds. Multiple lawsuits are currently challenging the legality of these tariffs, and the Supreme Court is set to decide the issue in November. If the Court ultimately invalidates the tariffs, importers may be entitled to recover duties paid. However, securing refunds depends on preserving jurisdictional options—especially given the uncertainty about whether these tariffs constitute a protestable decision under customs law. There are three potential refund mechanisms at play.

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ieepa tariffs

Unconstitutionality of IEEPA Tariffs Upheld – Supreme Court to Review

James Holbein September 28, 2025

On May 28, 2025, a three-judge panel at the Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled in two cases (VOS Selections, Inc. v. Trump and the State of Oregon v. Trump) that the Presidential actions taken under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) (50 U.S.C. §§ 1701–1707) to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China for illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling are unconstitutional. The CIT said that the tariff actions did not directly address the declared emergency and were not delegated by Congress to the Executive Branch and therefore exceed the President’s tariff setting authority under the Constitution.

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de minimis

The End of De Minimis Section 321 Clearances

Bruce Leeds September 19, 2025

Prior to August 29 of this year, 19 USC 321 – popularly known as a Section or de minimis clearance – allowed imported shipments valued at less than $800 to enter the US free of duty and entry requirements. The idea behind this was (1) the cost of processing an entry and duty payment would be more than the duty collected, and (2) setting the threshold at this level would promote eCommerce. It would also allow US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to use its resources more effectively.

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Chinese innovation

Sanctions, Bans, and Tariffs How The U.S. is Fueling Chinese Innovation

Bob Brewer September 8, 2025

Just look at the current landscape of how China has been innovating through various trade related sanctions, bans, and tariffs. Necessity has always been the mother of invention, and in the case of China and the never-ending western pressure it has also been the catalyst in many cases for that which ultimately drives them to create and overcome.

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japan

Japan and U.S. Trade Agreement

Jennifer Horvath August 3, 2025

After challenging negotiations and rising tariff tensions, the U.S. and Japan have reached a trade deal. This agreement precedes the August 1st tariff deadline, preventing a scheduled 25% tariff increase on Japanese products. The deal includes substantial Japanese investments in the U.S.

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protectionism

As the U.S. Pushes For More Protectionism, Global Trade Turns to Another Obvious Option- China

Bob Brewer August 2, 2025

Here we are. August 1st, 2025, and the media is now publishing what facts they have on the various trade deals as well as those that have yet to come to fruition, in addition to the new announcement of imposed global tariffs which range anywhere from 10% to 41%, Yes, the trade world is on fire from a U.S. perspective. CNN, my “go-to” is reporting that the Trump Administration is imposing tariffs on over 60 countries around the globe.

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stablecoin

GENIUS Act Establishes Legal Framework for Payment Stablecoins

James Holbein August 2, 2025

The President signed into law the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins of 2025’or ‘‘GENIUS Act of 2025’” (the Act) on July 18, 2025. The new law establishes a basis for regulators to permit a variety of bank and non-bank entities to issue payment stablecoins that will be used for payments and reserves for a variety of purposes. This analysis covers the major provisions of the new law.

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tariffs

Trade Letters and Tariff Deals – What Is Going On?

James Holbein August 2, 2025

Since taking office on January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration has undertaken an aggressive trade policy that has impacted, and will continue to impact, all countries trading with the US. Many of the actions seek to reverse the established principles of trade policy that have been supported by both political parties, enshrined in the rules of international agreements and organizations, and regulated by executive branch agencies since the end of World War II.

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tariffs

Mexico’s Evolving Trade Scenario Amidst Global Tariff Tensions

Brenda Cordova August 2, 2025

From a Mexican resident’s perspective, who is also involved in international trade, it appears that since the Trump administration took office, the global economic scenario has been altered by an escalating trade war, characterized by the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. government, on a range of countries. These measures, intended to safeguard the U.S. interests, have affected the relationships with certain international markets, as the U.S. is showing signs of progressive isolationist practices.

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tax service

Behind the Numbers: My Transformative Internship Journey at SAT (Tax Administration Service)

Brenda Cordova August 2, 2025

My internship in Mexico was with the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT), the office responsible for applying tax and customs legislation, which facilitates trade through customs administration. With its influence extending across both the public and private sectors, SAT stands at the forefront of Mexico’s efforts to promote transparency, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility. My internship experience within this institution offered invaluable insights into its operations and the impact it has on the nation’s economic landscape.

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