Postal Systems Overwhelmed and Suspending Shipments

The new requirements have overwhelmed international postal systems. Countries that rely on simple customs declarations for low-value packages have been forced to suspend or delay shipments to the U.S. while they update software and payment systems to comply with the new rules.

In some cases, postal carriers have stopped accepting parcels altogether until they can handle the additional processing.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU), the global body overseeing international mail, reports that as many as 80% of postal services worldwide have seen significant decreases in shipments to the United States since the change took effect.

That’s left countless families like Rae’s caught in the middle not as business owners or importers, but as ordinary people trying to stay connected across borders.

“Making things worse for us every chance he gets,” Rae said. “This isn’t just about tariffs or trade. It’s about keeping families apart.”

From Trade Policy to Personal Heartache

The policy shift was part of Trump’s broader “America First” trade agenda, which aims to close loopholes the administration says were allowing foreign companies to evade tariffs by shipping small packages directly to American consumers.

In a July 30 executive order, the White House argued that foreign retailers were taking unfair advantage of the de minimis rule and undercutting U.S. producers.

While that may hold true for major e-commerce firms, the new restrictions have hit average citizens hardest, grandparents sending birthday presents, parents mailing care packages to college students, or families shipping cultural foods and keepsakes abroad.

“This isn’t about trade wars anymore,” said one international shipping analyst contacted by The Space Coast Rocket. “It’s about people who just want to send something personal to someone they love.”

Holiday Season Looms Amid Uncertainty

As the holiday season approaches, confusion reigns among both senders and recipients.
Many postal agencies are still waiting on guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on how to properly declare or pay duties for small personal packages.

Carriers like Canada Post and Royal Mail have already warned customers of possible surcharges, delays, or outright suspensions of shipments to the U.S. until systems are updated.

For those with family overseas, it means the boxes that once brought joy and connection may not arrive at all. President Trump’s global suspension of the “de minimis” import exemption has halted or delayed international shipments to the U.S., leaving families around the world like one grandmother in Chile unable to send simple care packages to their loved ones.

More Than Commerce — A Breakdown in Connection

While tariff policies are typically debated in terms of trade deficits and economic data, the fallout of this one is deeply personal. It’s a story playing out in homes across America, not in boardrooms or factories.

For families separated by distance, a care package is often more than a gift; it’s a lifeline.

But for now, that connection is being taxed, delayed, and, in some cases, cut off completely.