United States Closes De Minimis Exemptions to Combat Chinaโs Role in Americaโs Synthetic Opioid Crisis
Fact Sheet: April 2, 2025
Below is a summary of President Trump’s Fact Sheet on closing De Minimis exemptions to combat China’s role in America’s Synthetic Opioid Crisis. To review the full document, please click on the link below:
CLOSING LOOPHOLES IN THE TARIFF SYSTEM:
- Executive Order Signed: President Donald J. Trump has signed an Executive Order to eliminate duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value imports from China, addressing the health emergency related to synthetic opioids.
- Effective Date: The new regulations will take effect on May 2, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
- Duties Imposed:
- Goods valued at or under $800, which previously qualified for duty-free treatment, will now incur applicable duties.
- For postal items sent through the international postal network, a duty rate of 30% of their value or $25 per item (increasing to $50 per item after June 1, 2025) will apply.
- Reporting Requirements:
- Carriers must report shipment details to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- They are required to maintain an international carrier bond to ensure duty payment and remit duties to CBP on a designated schedule.
- Potential for Formal Entry: CBP may require formal entry for any postal package, in addition to the specified duties.
- Impact Assessment: The Secretary of Commerce will submit a report within 90 days to assess the impact of this order and consider extending these rules to packages from Macau.
COMBATING CHINAโS ROLE IN THE OPIOID CRISIS:
- President Trump is addressing deceptive shipping practices by Chinese shippers who exploit the de minimis exemption to traffic illicit substances, particularly synthetic opioids.
- Over 4 million de minimis shipments are processed daily by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with many containing hidden drugs.
- The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) incentivizes chemical companies in China to export fentanyl and precursor chemicals, which contribute to the opioid crisis in the U.S.
- Illicit substances are often concealed through false invoices, fraudulent postage, and deceptive packaging, complicating enforcement efforts.
- While the U.S. has historically offered a generous de minimis exemption, China imposes strict import restrictions and does not extend similar leniency to American shipments.
- In the last fiscal year, CBP seized over 21,000 pounds of fentanyl, enough to potentially kill more than 4 billion people.
- It is estimated that federal officials only manage to capture a fraction of the fentanyl smuggled across the southern border.
- The impact of fentanyl is devastating, with 75,000 deaths annually attributed to fentanyl overdoses alone, surpassing the total American lives lost during the Vietnam War.
KEEPING HIS PROMISE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE:
- Mandate from Voters: President Trump received a clear mandate from voters to address border security and drug trafficking.
- Campaign Promise: He pledged to combat the drug addiction crisis, stating, “We will not rest until we have ended the drug addiction crisis.”
- Immediate Actions: Upon taking office, he swiftly moved to seal the border and tackle drug trafficking.
- Tariffs on China: Implemented 20% tariffs on China to counter the influx of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, into the U.S.
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