Congresswoman presses DHS and White House to fix implementation of Executive Order 14324
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds is urging residents and businesses in the Northern Marianas to report any new tariffs charged on packages mailed to the United States following the suspension of the de minimis exemption under Executive Order 14324.
King-Hinds said her office has received multiple reports from constituents whose shipments, including items critical to public safety or produced locally, were incorrectly charged tariffs.
“In several cases, it’s clear the charges were made because of a misunderstanding about how the CNMI fits within the United States,” she said. “This is not right, nor is it in compliance with the Covenant or the law.”
King-Hinds said she has raised the issue with both the Department of Homeland Security and the White House, citing the “practical and legal infeasibility” of applying these tariffs to CNMI shipments.
The congresswoman expressed her concerns that the CNMI has no effective International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff rate, making current applications legally baseless. She also said that goods already in or returning to the United States should not face new duties, Customs revenues from CNMI shipments must, under the Covenant, be returned to the CNMI government, yet no tracking system appears to exist, and that products made in the CNMI are U.S. goods, and treating them as foreign undermines the Covenant and established trade law.
King-Hinds added that before Customs and Border Protection enforces tariffs on foreign-made goods from the CNMI, it must create a clear verification process to prevent double taxation.
“Without such a process, residents and businesses in the Marianas face the real risk of being charged twice for the same product,” she said. “Reliable and affordable mail service is essential for our community, and we will not allow the Marianas to be overlooked in the implementation of federal policy.”
Residents who have recently mailed or received packages are encouraged to email king-hinds@mail.house.gov
