New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday, Feb. 20, won a major victory after the United States Supreme Court ruled that sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) violate the law.
The court ruled in favor of Attorney General James and a coalition of 11 other attorneys general who sued the Trump administration in April 2025 for violating the law by imposing massive new tariffs that severely disrupted the economy for workers and businesses.
“These illegal tariffs caused immense economic chaos, raising costs for families and businesses throughout our country,” James said. “The Supreme Court has agreed that this administration has no authority to impose massive new taxes on a whim.
“This is a critical victory for the rule of law and our economy, and I will keep fighting to protect New Yorkers from destructive policies that make life less affordable,” she added.
“This is a critical victory for the rule of law and our economy, and I will keep fighting to protect New Yorkers from destructive policies that make life less affordable,” she added.
In April 2025, Attorney General James and the coalition sued the Trump administration for unlawfully imposing tariffs under IEEPA.
In May, the United States Court of International Trade ruled in favor of James and the coalition, deciding that the Trump administration’s tariffs issued under IEEPA are invalid.
In May, the United States Court of International Trade ruled in favor of James and the coalition, deciding that the Trump administration’s tariffs issued under IEEPA are invalid.
In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed that the Trump administration lacks the authority to impose these tariffs by executive order under IEEPA.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the president does not have the authority to use IEEPA to impose sweeping tariffs.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the president does not have the authority to use IEEPA to impose sweeping tariffs.
Joining Attorney General James in this challenge to the administration’s tariffs are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.
In response to the court’s ruling, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “Donald Trump and congressional Republicans promised to lower the high cost of living on day one. The extremists have failed.
“Instead, Republicans have worsened the affordability crisis, forcing the American people to pay thousands of dollars in additional costs per year because of the disastrous Trump Tariffs,” said Jeffries, representative for the 8th Congressional District that encompasses parts of Brooklyn and Queens.
“Donald Trump’s failed economic policies and global trade war waged with irresponsible, on-again, off-again tariffs on our allies and trading partners have generated massive uncertainty, threatened the economic well-being of the American people, and damaged our country’s standing around the world,” Jeffries added. “Unfortunately, Republican sycophants refuse to serve as a check-and-balance on an increasingly out-of-control executive branch.
“House Democrats will continue to push back aggressively in Congress, in the courts, and in our communities to protect the American people from the right-wing extremism being jammed down our throats,” he continued. The President must refrain from any further unilateral tariff actions.
“Donald Trump’s my-way-or-the-highway approach to economic policy has been a complete and total failure,” Jeffries said. “Enough!
