The conservative Liberty Justice Center brought a lawsuit on behalf of five importers to challenge the constitutionality of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as a source of tariff-setting authority. The complaint, filed April 14 at the Court of International Trade, makes two claims: President Donald Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs exceed the president's statutory authority under IEEPA and, even if this statutory authority exists, it's an "unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority" (V.O.S. Selections v. Donald J. Trump, CIT # 25-00066).
A group of five companies filed a complaint at the Court of International Trade challenging the president's authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The complaint, drafted by the conservative Liberty Justice Center, says President Donald Trump's use of IEEPA to impose "reciprocal" tariffs "exceeds his statutory authority." The lawsuit adds that even if IEEPA grants this authority, it amounts to an "unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority." The lawsuit is the third of its kind to challenge the use of IEEPA to impose tariffs but is the first to be filed at the trade court.
The Commerce Department is launching Section 232 investigations on imports of semiconductors and pharmaceuticals as a possible precursor to levying duties on these products, according to Federal Register notices released April 14.
The U.S. is excluding certain smartphones, computers, chips and other items from President Donald Trump's executive order on reciprocal tariffs, CBP said in a CSMS message released late April 11. The products are being added to the list of exempt Harmonized Tariff Schedule headings and subheadings under Trump's April 2 executive order and won't be subject to the additional duties if they're entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 5.
China is raising tariff levels to 125% for U.S. origin goods in response to President Donald Trump's April 9 decision to raise tariffs to the same rate for Chinese goods (see 2504090043).
Counsel for two members of the Blackfeet Nation tribe that recently filed a lawsuit against the recent tariff action taken by President Donald Trump told us that she believes jurisdiction to be proper in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. Monica Tranel, the attorney for Montana state Sen. Susan Webber and rancher Jonathan St. Goddard, also said that she believes she can obtain a preliminary injunction against the spate of tariffs recently imposed on Canada due to the size of the harm to the agriculture and tourism industry in western Montana.
CBP has said it has resolved an issue where ACE didn't accept the lower duty rate of 10% for entries that properly qualify as in-transit shipments filed since April 9.
Given the prohibitively high tariff levels placed on China, and the uncertainty surrounding reciprocal tariffs on other countries, USMCA-qualifying goods from Canada and Mexico are advantageous options for importers, according to compliance experts speaking at an Automotive Industry Action Group event on April 9.
The EU announced on April 10 that it has placed its planned counter-tariffs on hold for 90 days following President Donald Trump's April 9 decision to withdraw his reciprocal tariffs on most countries (see 2504090069).
Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., have introduced a bill that would require congressional approval for certain future tariff actions, matching legislation introduced by senators last week (see 2504030018).