Overview
- A coalition of 25 states filed suit Monday in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York asking the court to halt and rescind the tariffs and to bar further collection while the case proceeds.
- The tariffs went into effect on July 24 under Section 301 of the Trade Act and impose roughly 10%–12.5% duties on imports from about 59–60 countries and the European Union, covering about 99% of U.S. imports.
- State plaintiffs say the administration skipped required country‑by‑country findings and rushed administrative steps required by Section 301 and the Administrative Procedure Act, and they argue the tariffs are a legal substitute for measures the Supreme Court struck down in February under IEEPA.
- The White House and USTR defend the action as lawful trade retaliation to combat goods tied to forced labor and say they held public hearings, received thousands of comments and consulted dozens of governments before setting rates.
- The tariffs remain in force pending the court’s decision, a development that could raise consumer prices, disrupt supply chains and set a major legal precedent about how far the executive can use Section 301 for broad global duties.