Customs Broker Was a Low-Stress Job. Not in the Age of Tariffs

A 75-pound box of frozen shrimp is sitting in Jonathan Lieberman’s office, and he’s starting to get nervous. By 2 p.m. the shrimp must be ready for shipment to Georgia—the final leg of a 9,000-mile journey. Before this can happen, Lieberman needs to inspect them, weigh them, check their temperature, refresh their dry ice and finish their customs paperwork. “These shrimp have been on a voyage,” he says, patting the large cardboard box. “All the way from Chennai, India.”

Lieberman in his office at New York Customs Brokers.

Photographer: Adrienne Grunwald

These shrimp are Litopenaeus vannamei—frozen, cleaned, about the size of a quarter. Tariff code: HS 0306.17.0041. There are dozens ...