WASHINGTON — The Security Industry Association (SIA) has formally appealed to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, requesting relief from tariffs on critical security products. The letter, sent on Tuesday, also calls on the Trump administration to establish a process that allows companies to apply for product-specific exemptions.
The security industry generates more than $430 billion in economic impact and supports more than 2.1 million jobs in the U.S. However, SIA claims manufacturers and integrators in this sector are facing mounting challenges due to a volatile and uncertain trading environment caused by the tariffs.
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SIA expressed concern over the financial strain these tariffs are placing on businesses that produce essential life safety and security products for Americans. The organization highlighted the broader implications of the tariffs, noting that the increased costs are not only impacting manufacturers but are also likely to raise the price of completed security products. This could limit accessibility for integrators and end-users – including hospitals, schools and universities – reducing the availability of critical security solutions across the nation.
“Not only do these tariffs hurt manufacturers by increasing the cost of key components as they compete globally, but the additional applicability to finished goods will directly increase the cost of essential security products, potentially pricing out integrators and reducing the availability of key products in the United States,” said SIA in its statement.
SIA Requesting Tariff Exemptions on Alarms, Access Control Systems, Cameras and Other Security Technologies
SIA has specifically requested exemptions for imported components and finished goods critical to the security sector, including but not limited to:
- Access control solutions
- Camera systems
- Communications equipment
- Identity management tools
- Security-related uncrewed systems
- Robotics
- A wide range of advanced security technologies
The organization argues that these exemptions are necessary to ensure affordability and availability, emphasizing that the tariffs could disrupt the delivery of life-saving and security-enhancing products.
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The appeal underscores the growing concerns within the security industry regarding policy-induced challenges imposed by the Trump administration and their potential impact on public safety.
