Attorney General Rayfield Seeks Court Order to Stop the Trump Administration’s Illegal Tariffs

Attorney General Dan Rayfield led a coalition of 23 other states today in 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 asks for summary judgment or, alternatively, a preliminary injunction.

"Oregon families are paying more for groceries and other basic items because of these tariffs, and they shouldn't be," said Attorney General Rayfield. "The president doesn't have the authority to impose sweeping tariffs like these, and the courts have already said so once. The focus should also be on getting people and businesses their money back."

For more than a year, President Trump has unlawfully attempted to impose tariffs on essential goods purchased by American consumers and businesses. Initially, the President invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act-but the Supreme Court ruled those tariffs were unlawful.

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 percent tariffs on most products worldwide, apparently in response to trade deficits. But those tariffs are illegal, too. Section 122 allows tariffs only when there are "large and serious balance-of-payment deficits." But no such thing exists-a trade deficit is not a balance-of-payment 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. Additionally, a recent analysis by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded that nearly 90 percent of the costs of tariffs last year were paid by American consumers and businesses.

The case is entitled State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al. (Case No. 1:26-cv-01472-3JP) 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 Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, 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.