Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is spearheading a legal challenge against the Trump administration, pushing for a preliminary injunction to halt the alleged illegal tariffs imposed by the President. Raoul, together with a coalition of 12 other attorneys general, has filed a motion that could temporarily stop tariffs enacted under executive orders that bypassed congressional consent. As reported by the Illinois Attorney General's office, Raoul stated, "Our states’ economies rely on international trade, particularly in Illinois, where agriculture is a top industry. The administration’s arbitrary tariffs will impose higher prices on goods our producers and residents rely on and result in unnecessary economic chaos."
The motion filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade aims to immediately cease the collection of tariffs imposed on a wide range of worldwide products. These include a significant 145% tariff on most products originating from China, a 25% hike on a variety of goods from Canada and Mexico, and a 10% increase on imports from the rest of the world. The motion also looks to preemptively stop planned tariff raises on imports from 56 other trading partners set for July 9. Raoul and the coalition argue that the authorities provided by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) do not extend to justify these tariffs, which require an “unusual and extraordinary threat," not an on-going issue. The economic repercussions, as per states' analysis, project an additional $3.4 billion yearly cost for state and local governments due to these tariffs.
Fiscal concerns are echoed in the evidence provided by the states, including a Federal Reserve report that points to the expectation of businesses facing "elevated input cost growth resulting from tariffs," with many preparing to pass on extra costs to customers. According to the same Illinois Attorney General's office release, this only emphasizes the urgency in the attorneys general's motion, as they deem the executive orders overstep the defined powers of Congress, which holds exclusive rights to levy taxes and duties on imports.
The multi-state legal effort joins Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont with Attorney General Raoul in this lawsuit. Each attorney general shares concerns about the economic strain the tariffs would put on their respective states and the national economy at large. The motion to halt these tariffs is an effort not just to curb potential inflation but also to assert a legal principle that the right to impose such economic measures belongs strictly to Congress. In so doing, they hope not only to protect their local economies but to maintain the balance of power as outlined by the Constitution.
