Comment Submitted by R. Parker

Re: Federal Register Doc. 2026-12670; 91 FR 37789 Docket No. USCBP-2026-0760; RIN 1685-AA44 Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Merchandise Arriving Through All Modes Other Than the International Postal Network I am commenting as an individual citizen and consumer. I understand why CBP is concerned about abuse of the de minimis system. Illegal drugs, counterfeit goods, unsafe products, false invoices, undervaluation, and unpaid duties are real problems. I do not want fentanyl, unsafe batteries, fake medicine, counterfeit electronics, firearms, or dangerous products waved through customs just because they are in small packages. But this rule also affects ordinary people who are not abusing anything. CBP states that this interim final rule indefinitely suspends the de minimis administrative exemption for imports valued at $800 or less arriving by all modes other than the international postal network, and that those shipments must now use formal or informal entry procedures. That is a major change for consumers. Many people use low-cost overseas marketplaces, including Temu, AliExpress, Wish, Shein, eBay sellers, Amazon Marketplace sellers, and other international sellers, because they cannot afford local prices or because the item is not realistically available locally. When those orders are shipped through non-postal methods covered by this rule, consumers may face duties, taxes, carrier fees, customs processing fees, broker fees, extra paperwork, or delays. For many people, these are not luxury purchases. They are phone cables, replacement parts, bike parts, small tools, electronics parts, sewing supplies, repair items, clothing, household items, and hobby parts. For people on fixed incomes, disabled people, low-income families, students, repair hobbyists, and people without easy transportation, a cheap imported item can matter. A $7 part can keep something working. A $12 tool can avoid a bigger expense. CBP should focus the burden on bad actors, large platforms, sellers, shippers, and importers that control the data and shipping process, not blindly push the burden onto ordinary consumers after purchase. If CBP keeps this rule, I ask for these safeguards: First, require clear up-front disclosure of all expected duties, taxes, customs fees, carrier fees, and processing charges before purchase. Consumers should not find out after checkout or delivery that a cheap order now has surprise costs. Second, focus enforcement responsibility on sellers, platforms, shippers, and importers of record. Ordinary consumers usually do not know tariff classifications, customs entry types, PGA requirements, or country-of-origin rules. Third, create a simplified, low-cost process for personal-use low-value goods, especially repair parts, replacement parts, disability-related items, household necessities, and noncommercial orders. Fourth, cap or closely monitor private carrier and broker fees on low-value personal shipments. A $15 item should not become a fee trap because of a $20 or $40 processing charge. Fifth, publish regular public data showing whether the rule is actually reducing illegal imports, counterfeit goods, fentanyl-related shipments, and undervaluation. If ordinary consumers are paying more, the public deserves proof that the rule is solving the stated problem. Sixth, conduct a real impact analysis on consumers, small businesses, disabled people, low-income people, rural consumers, and people on fixed incomes. Saying there are no new costs because the exemption was already suspended by executive action does not explain the real-world impact. Seventh, avoid using national security, foreign affairs, and good cause exceptions to skip meaningful public participation on a rule that directly affects millions of ordinary purchases. The comment period matters less if the rule is already in effect before the public can respond. I am not asking CBP to ignore illegal imports. I am asking CBP not to solve a real enforcement problem by making ordinary people absorb every cost, delay, and paperwork burden while large platforms and commercial importers adapt around it. Please revise the rule to require accurate shipment data, hold platforms and sellers responsible for compliance, target repeat offenders, protect consumers from surprise fees, and preserve a simple path for legitimate low-value personal-use goods.