A lawsuit was filed by a dozen US states against President Trump's administration on Wednesday. The lawsuit challenges the legality of tariffs imposed on Americans. States argue these tariffs represent illegal tax hikes.
The states contend that Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is unconstitutional. They claim it disrupts the American economy. The IEEPA grants the president authority during unusual and extraordinary threats.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to halt the tariffs. It argues that Congress never intended the IEEPA to be used for tariffs. The states involved are Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.
The lawsuit highlights that no other president has imposed tariffs based on a national emergency in the five decades since the IEEPA's enactment. This legal action joins others challenging the Trump administration's tariffs. These include suits from small businesses and civil rights groups.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that the tariffs would lead to inflation, unemployment, and economic damage. The lawsuit was filed in the US Court of International Trade in New York. It also seeks to halt impending reciprocal tariffs.