State AGs Sue to Block Trump Administration Tariffs

CT Attorney General Press Releases

Filed March 13th, 2026

Detected March 14th, 2026

Summary

Ten State Attorneys General, led by Connecticut AG William Tong, have joined a motion to block the Trump Administration's recent tariffs. The states argue the tariffs are illegal under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and seek a court order to halt their implementation, citing potential economic harm and increased costs for consumers and businesses.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

Ten State Attorneys General, including Connecticut AG William Tong, have filed a motion seeking summary judgment or a preliminary injunction to block the Trump Administration's latest round of tariffs. The states contend these tariffs, imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, are illegal because they do not meet the statutory requirement of "large and serious balance-of-payment deficits." The motion, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade in the case State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al. (Case No. 1:26-cv-01472-3JP), aims to prevent federal agencies from collecting these tariffs, which are estimated to cost state governments at least $748 million annually and disproportionately burden American consumers and businesses.

Regulated entities and compliance officers should be aware that this legal challenge seeks to halt the collection of these tariffs. While the court has scheduled oral arguments for April 10, 2026, the outcome of this motion will determine whether these tariffs remain in effect. The case highlights the ongoing legal battles surrounding the administration's trade policies and the potential for significant financial impact on businesses and consumers. No specific compliance actions are immediately required by this filing, but monitoring the court's decision is crucial.

What to do next

Monitor the outcome of the motion for summary judgment or preliminary injunction in *State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al.*
Assess potential financial impact of tariffs on business operations and supply chains.
Stay informed about any court rulings that may halt tariff collection.

Source document (simplified)

The Office of the Attorney General William Tong

Press Releases

03/13/2026

Attorney General Tong Seeks Court Order to Stop the Trump Administration's Illegal Tariffs

Joins Motion Filed by 24 Attorneys General to Halt Illegal Tariffs that are Increasing Prices and Inflicting Chaos on the American Economy

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of attorneys general 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 either summary judgment or a preliminary injunction.

“Trump is hellbent on destroying our economy and jacking up costs for American families. These new tariffs are just as irrational, just as lawless, and just as damaging as the first round. We are asking the court to step in immediately to stop the harm before it hits our wallets. The Trump Administration just told the court it’s going to take 4.4 million hours of manual labor to process the refunds he owes for the first round of failed tariffs. These need to be stopped before more damage is done,” said Attorney General Tong.

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.
Twitter: @AGWilliamTong Facebook: CT Attorney General