A coalition of 25 US states filed a lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration to block tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners. The states argue the tariffs are an illegal attempt to circumvent import duties that the Supreme Court struck down in February.
The states are requesting that the US Court of International Trade halt the tariffs, declare them unlawful, and order refunds for duties already collected. According to the lawsuit, the tariffs on 59 countries and the European Union account for 99.4% of total US imports.
The states involved in the action include New York, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, along with the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
The Trump administration justified the tariffs by claiming that the affected countries have not done enough to prevent the importation of goods produced through forced labor. The new tariffs went into effect in July after temporary tariffs expired and the earlier "Liberation Day" tariffs were ruled unconstitutional.
"After losing at the Supreme Court, the administration is once again trying to illegally raise taxes on families and businesses with a new round of tariffs," said New York Attorney General Letitia James. "No matter how the administration tries to justify it, the law and our Constitution are clear that the president does not have the power to impose sweeping tariffs on whatever countries he wants."
The latest tariffs use Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a federal law designed to target countries that use forced labor. Major trading partners affected include the UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and China.
The White House defended the tariffs as a necessary response to unfair trade practices. "The United States is using its lawful authority to obtain the elimination of unreasonable acts, policies, and practices that burden US commerce," White House spokesman Kush Desai said. He added that countries' failure to impose and enforce prohibitions on forced labor imports is unreasonable and must be addressed.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul argued the administration is using forced labor as a cover for broader tariff policies. "President Trump's illegal tariffs are nothing more than a tax on hardworking families, driving up the cost of groceries, household essentials, building materials, and countless everyday goods that New Yorkers rely on," Hochul said.
The lawsuit follows a separate legal challenge filed by the Liberty Justice Center on behalf of two US small businesses claiming Trump exceeded his executive authority. The case will move through the federal court system, with legal experts divided on whether the administration has exceeded its trade powers.