Trump Slaps 245% Tariff on China - Thousands of U.S. Importers Are On the Brink Helping
- Zambrano Law Customer Service
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
From the Desk of Attorney Omar Zambrano: Helping 10,000 Families Become Debt-Free in 2025
📍 Proudly Serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino & Riverside Counties
What was once a tense trade dispute is now a full-blown war. As of April 16, 2025, all imports from China now face a staggering 245% tariff.
There were no press conferences. No breaking news banners. Just a quiet line buried in a White House fact sheet confirming what small businesses feared most: the tariffs are here — and they’re not symbolic. They’re destructive.
“I Have 40,000 Units in Long Beach Port and No Way to Sell Them”
One client in Vernon imports kitchen tools. Last year, he was paying $2.10 landed cost per unit. After the 245% tariff? That price jumped to $7.25 — and the retail price? Still stuck at $6.99 because Amazon’s algorithm won’t let him raise it.
“I’m paying to lose money,” he told me. “I don’t know if I’ll survive the quarter.”
Across Los Angeles County, warehouse operators, ecommerce sellers, freight brokers, and retail stores are in crisis. If they import from China, they’re now stuck with goods that can’t be sold without taking a loss. And for many, the math just doesn’t work anymore.
The Clients I’m Seeing Now:
A Baldwin Park couple with a baby goods business that sells silicone bibs, bottles, and pacifiers online. Their landed cost per SKU tripled. They laid off two employees this week.
An El Monte LED lighting distributor whose entire supply chain is now unaffordable. The company will have to liquidate or raise prices by 400% — either way, he told me: “We’re done.”
A San Bernardino Amazon seller who ordered containers from Ningbo back in January — now stuck paying $80,000 in tariff fees to release the goods. He maxed out every credit line to cover it. His quote:
“Made in America” Is a Myth for Most
People ask: “Why not just produce here?” The truth? You can’t.
The tooling doesn’t exist. The suppliers aren’t here. The infrastructure is gone. Even if it were possible — the costs would be 5–10x higher. The timelines? Six months just to get a quote. A year to begin production.
As one client in Pico Rivera put it:
“I called three U.S. factories. Only one picked up. They told me they could deliver in 2026.”
There is no quick pivot. And the people paying the price are the same small business owners we celebrated during the pandemic for keeping America running.
This Isn’t Just About Goods — It’s About Debt and Survival
Because of these tariffs, here’s what I’m seeing in my office every day:
Cash flow collapses — clients can’t sell what they’ve imported.
Credit cards maxed out — trying to float inventory and payroll.
Lines of credit frozen — banks don’t lend to distressed businesses.
Personal guarantees activated — owners now liable for corporate debts.
Families taking out second mortgages to “save the business.”
This isn’t strategy. This is collapse.
Retailers Are Adding “Tariff Fees” — But Customers Aren’t Buying
Even the retailers who try to survive by tacking on surcharges are getting burned.
A client in Covina who runs a furniture and appliance outlet said:
“I added a 14% tariff adjustment to invoices. Half the customers walked out.”
Tariffs aren’t just affecting importers — they’re choking demand across the chain. The result? Empty stores. Quiet warehouses. Debt climbing fast.
Freight and Warehousing Are Next to Fall
I got a call this week from a client in City of Industry who owns a third-party logistics (3PL) company. He told me:
“My clients aren’t renewing their leases. I lost five contracts this week alone.”
Why? Because if you can’t afford to import, you don’t need warehouse space or freight brokerage. You shut it all down.
One trucking client in Rancho Cucamonga said he’s down 48% in weekly loads compared to January. He’s barely covering fuel and insurance.
This ripple is now a wave. And it’s wiping out small business owners.
Let’s Talk Solutions Before It’s Too Late
If you are an importer, retailer, or logistics business owner affected by the tariffs, this is the moment to protect yourself.
These are the five questions I ask every client walking into my office right now:
Are you personally guaranteeing business debt? If yes — you’re exposed. Let’s separate your risk.
Are your inventory costs above market price? You may need legal tools to restructure or discharge debt tied to unsellable stock.
Are creditors calling or accounts freezing? We can stop lawsuits and wage garnishments immediately.
Do you have payroll obligations but no revenue? Don’t fund it on credit cards. Let’s find legal solutions before you collapse.
Have you tried to shift manufacturing and failed? Then you need to legally protect your personal assets before the crash becomes personal.
Legal Services That Can Help You Now
🛡️ Business Bankruptcy (Chapter 7 & 11)
We help you dissolve or restructure legally — no chaos, no panic. Protect your name, avoid personal lawsuits, and walk away from corporate debt if necessary.
🛡️ Personal Bankruptcy (Chapter 7 & 13)
If you signed a personal guarantee — and the business failed — we protect your car, home, wages, and retirement. Most clients keep everything.
🛡️ Repossession & Equipment Defense
Is your truck, forklift, or inventory being seized? We can file emergency stays, negotiate with lenders, and even reverse some repossessions.
🛡️ Lawsuit & Wage Garnishment Defense
We stop garnishments fast. We also fight the original court case when possible — and protect your paycheck.
🛡️ Debt Negotiation & Business Wind-Downs
We negotiate business debt down — or assist you in exiting cleanly without tax traps or liability.
📞 Free Legal Consultation
Call us. No pressure. Just a full review of your debts, business exposure, and your best legal options.
Case Files — Real People, Real Protection
Case 1: East LA Amazon Seller Owed $132,000 in inventory-related credit lines. Filed Chapter 7. Protected his house. Walked away clean.
Case 2: Ontario Freight Dispatcher Lost 90% of clients post-tariff. We shut the LLC down, resolved lease issues, avoided a $38K lawsuit.
Case 3: Glendale Ecommerce Brand Importer of home goods. Orders delayed, products unaffordable. We negotiated 68% off their supplier debt and dissolved the company without lawsuits.
Case 4: Montebello Warehouse Owner Lost three anchor tenants. Facing $9,000/month lease. We filed personal Chapter 13 to protect his retirement funds and renegotiated his lease.
Don’t Go Down With the Ship
Tariffs aren’t just numbers. They’re business killers. And if you don’t act fast, the collapse of your business can become your personal collapse.
Don’t empty your 401(k) to pay a $10,000 container tariff bill.
Don’t max out credit to “buy time” when there’s no demand.
And don’t wait until the repo truck or lawsuit arrives.
You have options. You have rights. I can help.
📞 Call Now: (626) 338-5505
🌐 Visit: www.OmarZambrano.com
📱 WhatsApp: +1-626-550-7071
📍 Office: 12738 Ramona Blvd, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Helping 10,000 Families Become Debt-Free in 2025
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