Twenty-five US states launched a legal challenge against the new import tariffs that President Donald Trump's administration imposed on 60 countries. The coalition of states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, filed the lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade.
The complaint alleges that the administration exceeded its legal authority by imposing tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general argued that the tariffs lack legal basis, were not designed to combat forced labor, and aim to revive practices previously found unlawful by courts.
The plaintiff states are asking the court to rule that the tariff decision is illegal, to strike it down, and to halt its implementation. They also seek a refund of customs duties paid under the tariffs.
In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said, "President Trump is so determined to raise the cost of living for Americans that he is willing to break the law repeatedly to achieve that goal." Bonta noted that this is the administration's third attempt to unlawfully impose similar tariffs and the third time states have gone to court over executive overreach.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes stated that the tariffs have increased food prices, raised costs for small businesses, and caused chaos in nearly every sector of the economy. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said, "It is American citizens who pay these illegal tariffs, not foreign governments."
States joining the lawsuit
In addition to California, Arizona and Oregon, the coalition includes the states of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, along with the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Background of the tariffs
The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on July 23 that, following an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, import tariffs of 10% or 12.5% would be imposed on 60 trading partners. The decision was based on the grounds that those countries had not taken sufficient measures to prohibit and effectively prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor.
This latest tariff decision by the Trump administration came one day before the expiration of the temporary 10% global tariffs that had been in place for 150 days, after the US Supreme Court ruled that tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were illegal.
