Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is again taking the Trump administration to court over its trade policy, joining a coalition of states that argues a new round of tariffs was imposed without legal authority.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, challenges tariffs affecting imports from more than 80 countries that account for nearly all goods entering the United States. The coalition contends the administration improperly relied on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 after previous attempts to justify broad tariffs under other laws were struck down by federal courts. The complaint also alleges the latest action violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
Mayes said the tariffs amount to unlawful costs that will ultimately be borne by consumers and businesses through higher prices. The states argue that recent economic research shows most tariff costs are passed along to American households and companies rather than absorbed by foreign exporters.
The case is the latest in an ongoing legal battle over the scope of presidential authority in trade policy. Led by Arizona, Oregon and California, the coalition includes more than 20 other states and seeks to block the newest tariffs before they take broader effect on imports and consumer prices.