New York, 11 other states sue Trump over tariffs, claiming they will cause economic disaster

New York and 11 US states have sued the administration of 47th President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs, saying they are "illegal," reports Silive.

The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration's tariffs on the country's trading partners will increase unemployment, boost inflation and threaten American wages, slowing economic growth. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James said dues will hurt states and their residents by making important goods—from electronics to building materials—more expensive and scarce.

Catastrophic consequences for Americans

Economists have estimated that the tariff hikes would cost the average family thousands of dollars a year, the coalition said. And a report from the New York City comptroller estimated that even a moderate recession caused by the tariffs would result in the loss of more than 35 jobs in the Big Apple alone. New York state agencies could end up paying more than $000 million in additional costs because of the tariffs, which drive up prices, according to Hochul’s office.

On the subject: New York State Could Lose 260 Jobs Due to Trump Tariffs

"President Trump's reckless spending spree has skyrocketed costs for consumers and wreaked economic havoc across the country. New York is rising to fight back against the largest federal tax increase in American history," the governor said.

Hochul said she is cooperating with James in the lawsuit on behalf of New York consumers "because we cannot allow President Trump to push our country into a recession."

they say that dues, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), are simply tax increases for Americans.

"The lawsuit filed by Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general alleges that Congress did not give 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," Hochul concluded.

“The president does not have the authority to raise taxes on a whim, but that is exactly what President Trump is doing with these tariffs,” James said. “Donald Trump promised he would lower prices and ease the cost of living, but these illegal tariffs will have the opposite effect on American families. His tariffs are illegal, and if left unchecked, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic harm.”

The essence of the claim

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, argues that President Trump does not have the authority to impose tariffs. It says that while the president has declared emergencies and cited IEEPA to justify those tariffs, no other president has used IEEPA to impose such tariffs in the five decades since the law was passed.

The coalition argues that the law was not designed to allow the president to unilaterally impose indiscriminate global tariffs. The coalition also argues that the Trump administration overstepped its authority and violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act in imposing the tariffs.

The lawsuit asks the court to declare the imposed duties unlawful and stop the implementation or enforcement of these trade duties.

Other states in the coalition

Attorney General James was joined in filing the lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont.

Hochul said she has been in contact with federal leaders about the "devastating impact that tariffs will have on New Yorkers, businesses and our economy."