Boutros and Schleppenbach: Trump Likely to Prioritize Trade, Customs Fraud Enforcement
President Donald Trump is likely to make trade and customs fraud enforcement a high priority for his second presidential term, according to Shook Government Investigations and White Collar Practice Co-Chair Andrew Boutros and Partner Jay Schleppenbach. In an article for Law360, Boutros and Schleppenbach looked back to Trump’s first term for clues on actions he might take after returning to office.
Boutros and Schleppenbach noted that Trump issued executive orders early in his first term emphasizing his commitment to prosecuting violations of U.S. trade and customs law, setting out a significantly more aggressive approach to enforcing violations. Trump’s Department of Justice followed suit, prosecuting dozens of cases involving customs violations annually during the first administration.
“In short, in the first Trump administration, the DOJ followed through on Trump's order to actively pursue trade and customs fraud cases, but did so against the backdrop of a nationwide emergency created by COVID-19 as well as other events that occupied the attention of the administration during in its first four years,” they said. “So, in a second Trump administration, it would be natural to expect that the evasion of tariffs and duties to be a major focus for the DOJ and its enforcement and other agency partners.”
Read the article in Law360 >>
Boutros and Schleppenbach noted that Trump issued executive orders early in his first term emphasizing his commitment to prosecuting violations of U.S. trade and customs law, setting out a significantly more aggressive approach to enforcing violations. Trump’s Department of Justice followed suit, prosecuting dozens of cases involving customs violations annually during the first administration.
“In short, in the first Trump administration, the DOJ followed through on Trump's order to actively pursue trade and customs fraud cases, but did so against the backdrop of a nationwide emergency created by COVID-19 as well as other events that occupied the attention of the administration during in its first four years,” they said. “So, in a second Trump administration, it would be natural to expect that the evasion of tariffs and duties to be a major focus for the DOJ and its enforcement and other agency partners.”
Read the article in Law360 >>
