

At present, twelve blue and purple states, led by the state of Oregon, filed a lawsuit within the US Court docket of Worldwide Commerce difficult Donald Trump’s huge IEEPA tariffs. Their grievance is out there right here. The arguments superior by the multistate plaintiffs are much like these offered within the lawsuit the Liberty Justice Heart and I offered in an identical lawsuit filed on behalf of 5 US companies severely harmed by the tariffs (additionally filed within the CIT). In addition they resembled these made by the state of California in a case filed in federal district courtroom.
Like California and us, the twelve states argue that the Worldwide Emergency Financial Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) does not authorize tariffs in any respect, and that Trump administration’s place runs afoul of constitutional nondelegation guidelines (although they draw back from the time period “nondelegation.” I feel it would assist in the event that they have been extra specific in indicating the tariffs additionally go in opposition to the”main questions” doctrine, and that the commerce deficits that supposedly justify the “Liberation Day” tariffs should not an “uncommon and extraordinary risk” (which IEEPA says should be current to permit use of the legislation). However maybe they might go into these points extra absolutely because the case progresses.
I cowl these and different explanation why the Trump IEEPA tariffs are unlawful in additional element in my current Lawfare article, “The Constitutional Case Towards Trump’s Commerce Battle.”
Whereas our lawsuit is proscribed to the huge “Liberation Day” tariffs, the multistate plaintiffs – like California – additionally problem earlier IEEPA tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China, supposedly justified by the specter of fentanyl smuggling. I argued that these tariffs are additionally unlawful in a February submit the place I first outlined the concept of difficult IEEPA tariffs beneath the nondelegation and main questions doctrines.
There are additionally two narrower lawsuits difficult the Trump IEEPA tariffs: one introduced by the New Civil Liberties Alliance (difficult tariffs in opposition to China on behalf of an importer), and one introduced by members of the Blackfeet Nation Native American tribe (difficult tariffs in opposition to Canada). I anticipate there can be extra lawsuits filed by different teams.
We welcome the twelve states to this struggle!
It is spectacular this concern has united such a various array of individuals and establishments, together with the conservatives on the NCLA, libertarians like myself and most of the LJC legal professionals I’m working with, blue and purple state governments, Native Individuals, and a bipartisan group of outstanding authorized students and former authorities officers.
Trump’s tariff energy seize has introduced us all collectively. Maybe he alone may do it!


At present, twelve blue and purple states, led by the state of Oregon, filed a lawsuit within the US Court docket of Worldwide Commerce difficult Donald Trump’s huge IEEPA tariffs. Their grievance is out there right here. The arguments superior by the multistate plaintiffs are much like these offered within the lawsuit the Liberty Justice Heart and I offered in an identical lawsuit filed on behalf of 5 US companies severely harmed by the tariffs (additionally filed within the CIT). In addition they resembled these made by the state of California in a case filed in federal district courtroom.
Like California and us, the twelve states argue that the Worldwide Emergency Financial Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) does not authorize tariffs in any respect, and that Trump administration’s place runs afoul of constitutional nondelegation guidelines (although they draw back from the time period “nondelegation.” I feel it would assist in the event that they have been extra specific in indicating the tariffs additionally go in opposition to the”main questions” doctrine, and that the commerce deficits that supposedly justify the “Liberation Day” tariffs should not an “uncommon and extraordinary risk” (which IEEPA says should be current to permit use of the legislation). However maybe they might go into these points extra absolutely because the case progresses.
I cowl these and different explanation why the Trump IEEPA tariffs are unlawful in additional element in my current Lawfare article, “The Constitutional Case Towards Trump’s Commerce Battle.”
Whereas our lawsuit is proscribed to the huge “Liberation Day” tariffs, the multistate plaintiffs – like California – additionally problem earlier IEEPA tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China, supposedly justified by the specter of fentanyl smuggling. I argued that these tariffs are additionally unlawful in a February submit the place I first outlined the concept of difficult IEEPA tariffs beneath the nondelegation and main questions doctrines.
There are additionally two narrower lawsuits difficult the Trump IEEPA tariffs: one introduced by the New Civil Liberties Alliance (difficult tariffs in opposition to China on behalf of an importer), and one introduced by members of the Blackfeet Nation Native American tribe (difficult tariffs in opposition to Canada). I anticipate there can be extra lawsuits filed by different teams.
We welcome the twelve states to this struggle!
It is spectacular this concern has united such a various array of individuals and establishments, together with the conservatives on the NCLA, libertarians like myself and most of the LJC legal professionals I’m working with, blue and purple state governments, Native Individuals, and a bipartisan group of outstanding authorized students and former authorities officers.
Trump’s tariff energy seize has introduced us all collectively. Maybe he alone may do it!