12 US states file lawsuit against Trump administration over tariffs
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San Francisco: A coalition of twelve U.S. states has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, challenging the imposition of "illegal tariffs".
The attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont are seeking a court order to prevent the enforcement of these tariffs.
The lawsuit said the policy has left the national trade policy subject to Trump's "whims rather than the sound exercise of lawful authority", asking the court to declare the tariffs illegal and to block government agencies and officers from enforcing them, Xinhua news agency reported.
It noted the US president can only invoke the Emergency Act when there is an "unusual and extraordinary threat" from abroad.
"By claiming the authority to impose immense and ever-changing tariffs on whatever goods entering the US he chooses, for whatever reason he finds convenient to declare an emergency, the President has upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy," the legal action said.
"Congress has not granted the president the authority to impose these tariffs, and therefore the administration violated the law by imposing them through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders," New York Attorney General Letitia James' office said in a statement.
"His tariffs are unlawful, and if not stopped, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage," said James.
"President Trump's reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement on Wednesday.
In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said the administration "remains committed to addressing this national emergency that's decimating America's industries and leaving our workers behind with every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations".
On April 2, President Trump signed an executive order invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, declaring a national emergency and introducing "reciprocal tariffs" on all U.S. trading partners. This decision faced strong backlash both domestically and internationally, causing notable upheaval in financial markets.
(inputs from IANS)
