Executive Order 14256—Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People's Republic of China as Applied to Low-Value Imports

Executive Order 14256, issued by President Donald J. Trump on April 1, 2025, imposes economic restrictions targeting China. Specifically, it removes the duty-free treatment for certain low-value products from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong that are imported into the United States. This means that additional duties will now be collected on these specific imported goods, which are valued at or under $800 and would have previously qualified for an exemption from duties. This change takes effect on May 2, 2025.

This executive order affects products from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong, including international postal packages, that are sent to the United States and fall under the specified low-value category. The President's stated purpose for this action is to address the synthetic opioid supply chain originating from China. The order notes that some shippers from China use deceptive practices to hide illicit substances and conceal contents, often avoiding detection due to the previous duty-free exemption, and that these exports contribute to the synthetic opioid crisis in the United States.

The President issued this order using authority granted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which allows the President to regulate international economic transactions during a national emergency. While Presidents from both parties have frequently used IEEPA for foreign policy sanctions, its broad scope has drawn constitutional criticism. Some question whether Congress can delegate such extensive economic regulatory power to the executive branch, though courts have generally upheld presidential sanctions decisions.

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