NEW YORK — A U.S. appeals court has extended a stay of a lower court ruling that had blocked enforcement of certain tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration, allowing the government to continue collecting the duties while legal challenges proceed, according to court filings and the parties involved.
The decision, issued on Thursday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, keeps in place a temporary pause on a ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade that had granted relief to three plaintiffs challenging a 10% global tariff imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The appeals court’s order means the tariffs remain in effect for those importers while the government’s appeal is considered.
According to court records, the affected plaintiffs include two small businesses and the State of Washington, which challenged the tariff after paying duties on purchases made by the University of Washington. The trade court ruled on May 7 that the administration had improperly imposed the tariff, but the ruling did not broadly halt collection of the duties nationwide.
The Trump administration appealed that decision, arguing that the tariff was authorized under federal law. The Federal Circuit previously issued a temporary administrative stay and on Thursday extended that relief pending further proceedings. As a result, U.S. Customs authorities may continue collecting the tariff from the plaintiffs while the appeal moves forward.
The tariff at issue was introduced in February after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down broader tariff measures imposed by the administration in 2025. Administration officials have said the Section 122 tariff was intended to address international payments and trade concerns. Opponents argue that the legal requirements for invoking the statute were not met.
In a separate but related development, the Federal Circuit recently allowed the government to continue collecting the same 10% tariff while broader legal challenges are litigated. In that ruling, the court said the administration’s position was “likely to succeed on the merits,” according to the court order cited by the Associated Press.
Lawyers representing the challengers have argued that the tariffs exceed the authority granted by Congress. Government attorneys maintain that the measures fall within powers provided under the Trade Act. Details of future briefing schedules remain subject to court orders.
As of Saturday, the appeals process remained ongoing, and no final ruling had been issued on the legality of the tariffs. The duties are scheduled to expire in July unless Congress acts to extend them, according to court filings cited in the case.
