California Seeks Court Order Stopping Trump's Illegal Tariffs

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom today announced filing a motion to block implementation of President Trump's latest efforts to impose illegal tariffs on products purchased by American consumers and businesses. The motion, filed by a coalition of 24 states, asks for summary judgment or, in the alternative, a preliminary injunction. Earlier this month, California and the coalition filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump's imposition of global tariffs using Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, an archaic, never-before-used law.

"President Trump has inflicted illegal tariff after illegal tariff on the American people - taxes that are weighing heavily on consumers and small businesses nationwide. The President's taxes are increasing prices amid a crisis of affordability and inflicting chaos on the American economy," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "My office has challenged the President's illegal tariffs every time and every step of the way because this issue matters tremendously to Californians and families across the U.S. Today, we ask the Court of International Trade to put an end to Trump's obnoxious second attempt to illegally tax Americans - consumers and businesses need relief now."

"These tariffs are nothing more than a tax on working families - shifting the burden of Trump's failed trade negotiations onto folks who are already struggling to make ends meet. Trump keeps throwing out illegal, reckless policies, hoping something sticks, while everyday Americans pay the price," said Governor Gavin Newsom. "Trump's tariffs were overturned by the Supreme Court, so now he's inflicting new tariffs on Californians and all Americans like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Chaos is not leadership. And we deserve better."

For more than a year, President Trump has unlawfully attempted to impose tariffs on essential goods purchased by American consumers and businesses. Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom previously challenged the President's imposition of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. And last month, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump's imposition of tariffs under IEEPA, declaring them illegal.

The President is now attempting to use a different law that has never been used before - Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 - and has imposed 10% tariffs on most products worldwide, allegedly in response to trade deficits. But those tariffs are illegal, too. Section 122 allows tariffs only when there are "fundamental international payments problems" that require special measures to deal with "large and serious balance-of-payments deficits." But there are no such deficits: A trade deficit is not a balance-of-payments deficit.

Today's motion asks the U.S. Court of International Trade to order federal agencies to stop collecting the latest round of illegal tariffs. Economic analysis submitted to the court shows that state governments in the 24 plaintiff states stand to pay at least $748 million per year in additional costs due to the tariffs. The case is entitled State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al. and is pending before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT). The court has scheduled in-person oral argument on the states' motion for 10:00 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 10, 2026, in its ceremonial courtroom in New York City.

The case is led by Attorney General Bonta, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Also joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.