FedEx, UPS, and Oakley are being sued regarding Trump-era tariff reimbursements

FedEx, UPS, and Eyewear Giant Confront Lawsuits Over Tariff Refunds

FedEx Corp., United Parcel Service, and the company behind Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses are now the targets of proposed class action lawsuits. These legal actions aim to recover import duties and fees that were charged under the Trump administration’s emergency tariffs, which the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down.

Legal Action Against FedEx

On Friday, the law firm Morgan & Morgan initiated a lawsuit against FedEx Logistics (NYSE: FDX) in the U.S. District Court for Southern Florida. The suit seeks to secure a full refund of duties paid by a Miami resident, Matthew Reiser, who was charged $36 in duties and fees for a pair of tennis shoes purchased from Germany’s Tennis Warehouse Europe on January 27. The case also seeks to represent millions of other consumers who paid similar charges passed on by FedEx after it paid the government.

John Morgan, founder of Morgan & Morgan, and attorney John Yanchunis explained, “FedEx is the only party legally permitted to request duty refunds from the government. As a result, consumers like our client have no option but to pursue legal action to recover the tariffs and additional fees imposed by FedEx. Our mission is to ensure every dollar wrongly collected from American consumers is returned.”

EssilorLuxottica Faces Class Action

On Thursday, Nathan Ward of New York filed a proposed class action lawsuit against EssilorLuxottica S.A., the multinational behind Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Costa sunglasses. The suit argues that the company, having sued the U.S. government for a refund, should pass any reimbursements it receives back to customers. Ward claims that tariff surcharges raised the price of his purchase by approximately 6% compared to prices in spring 2025.

Previous Lawsuits Against FedEx and UPS

Earlier, Hali Anastopoulo, a freight forwarder and customs broker from South Carolina, filed several lawsuits against FedEx and UPS (NYSE: UPS) in federal courts across South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. These lawsuits seek repayment of duties, interest, and related costs for imported parcels. The complaints, filed by Poulin Wiley, request nationwide class-action status for all individuals who paid UPS tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In Tennessee, Anastopoulo is represented by Stranch Jennings & Garvey.

Tariff Exemption Removal and Its Impact

The lawsuits against FedEx and UPS are linked to the removal last year of a duty exemption for low-value imports, which are typically shipped directly to consumers. With the exemption gone, these goods became subject to steep tariffs imposed on imports from various countries.

Supreme Court Decision and Uncertain Refunds

The Supreme Court determined that former President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by imposing broad tariffs under the IEEPA, citing the opioid crisis and the U.S. trade deficit as emergencies. Shipping companies like FedEx and UPS passed these tariff costs, along with additional brokerage and clearance fees, onto their customers.

The Court did not address the fate of over $130 billion in duties and interest already collected. Legal experts note that it remains uncertain whether the government will agree to issue refunds to companies. Trade compliance specialists suggest it may take time before the U.S. Court of International Trade and U.S. Customs and Border Protection establish a process for returning IEEPA tariff payments.

FedEx Seeks Refunds from the Government

On Monday, FedEx filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, requesting a full refund of duties paid under the IEEPA order. The company has publicly stated its intention to return any refunds it receives to customers who originally paid the charges. However, the Morgan & Morgan lawsuit points out that FedEx has not made a legally binding commitment to do so, nor has it addressed the issue of refunding extra processing fees.