Using my computer just now, I looked at one of the emails that AliExpress sent about this order. It had a clickable tracking number displayed; I clicked it.

That brought me to their website, where I landed on a page that included the last update for my order and also a link to "View Details".

That works for me. It was very easy to where along the line my stuff is (and that it is not in the US yet).

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Meanwhile: I also copied the tracking number from the email. I pasted that tracking number into the box at usps.com.

The USPS knows of my tracking number and they do not have my item yet. Fair enough.

I ticked some boxes and told them to send me updates, which I'm sure they'll do once they have updates to send -- just as they have done for ~decades now.

This also works for me.