A federal appeals court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s request to delay the process of refunding billions of dollars in tariffs that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unlawful last month.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit advanced the next stage of the refund process by sending the matter back to a lower court to determine how repayments should be handled.

In a filing submitted Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice had asked the Federal Circuit to pause proceedings for 90 days, urging a cautious approach. The judges declined that request.

On Feb. 20, the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s broad tariff program, which had imposed duties on imports from most countries, ruling the measures illegal. The decision opened the door for importers who paid the tariffs to seek refunds.

By mid-December, the federal government had collected more than $130 billion under the now-invalidated tariff regime. Estimates from the Penn Wharton Budget Model suggest total refunds could reach as much as $175 billion.

The Supreme Court’s ruling, however, did not address how refunds should be administered. That responsibility now falls to the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, which will oversee the complex process of determining how and when affected businesses will be reimbursed.