IANS
San Francisco, April 24: A coalition of twelve U.S. states has taken legal action against the Trump administration, challenging the imposition of what they describe as “unlawful tariffs.” The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, seeks to block the enforcement of these tariffs, which the states argue were imposed without proper legal authority.
The attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont filed the joint complaint on Wednesday. The legal challenge aims to prevent the administration from enacting the tariffs, which the plaintiffs claim are based on executive overreach rather than legitimate legal grounds.
According to the lawsuit, the administration’s actions have effectively placed U.S. trade policy at the mercy of presidential discretion, undermining the constitutional framework and bypassing congressional authority. The complaint calls on the court to declare the tariffs illegal and prohibit federal agencies and officials from enforcing them, Xinhua news agency reported.
The states argue that the president may only invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in response to an “unusual and extraordinary threat” originating from outside the United States—criteria they say were not met.
“By asserting the power to impose sweeping and unpredictable tariffs on any imports at will, under the guise of a self-declared emergency, the president has destabilized the constitutional order and sowed economic uncertainty,” the lawsuit contends.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that Congress has not granted the president authority to enact such tariffs, calling the administration’s approach—through executive orders, social media declarations, and agency directives—unlawful.
“These tariffs, if allowed to stand, will lead to higher inflation, job losses, and broader economic damage,” James warned.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul echoed those concerns, stating, “President Trump’s reckless tariff policies have driven up consumer prices and caused widespread disruption to the American economy.”
In response to the lawsuit, White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the administration’s position. “We remain fully committed to addressing this national emergency that has devastated American industries and workers, using every tool available—from tariffs to negotiations,” Desai said.
The lawsuit follows Trump’s April 2 executive order invoking the IEEPA to declare a national emergency and impose so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on goods from all U.S. trading partners. The move sparked backlash both domestically and internationally, and led to significant volatility in financial markets.
