California Files Lawsuit to End President Trump’s Tariffs
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta April 16 filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging President Trump’s use of emergency powers to enact broad-sweeping tariffs that hurt states, consumers and businesses. The lawsuit argues that President Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, creating immediate and irreparable harm to California, the largest economy, manufacturing, and agriculture state in the nation.
These tariffs have disrupted supply chains, inflated costs for the state and Californians, and inflicted billions in damages on California’s economy, the fifth largest in the world.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, requests the court to declare the tariffs imposed by President Trump void and enjoin their implementation.
The President lacks authority to enact unilateral tariffs
The lawsuit argues that President Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs against Mexico, China, and Canada or create an across-the-board 10% tariff. The president’s use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact tariffs is unlawful and unprecedented.
The IEEPA gives the President authority to take certain actions if he declares a national emergency in response to a foreign national security, foreign policy, or economic threat. The law, which was enacted by Congress in 1977, specifies many different actions the president can take, but tariffs aren’t one of them. In fact, this is the first time a president has attempted to rely on this law to impose tariffs.
Supreme Court precedent
The lawsuit invokes the U.S. Supreme Court’s major questions doctrine, which holds that in novel matters of vast economic and political significance, federal agencies and the executive branch must have clear and specific authorization from Congress. In recent years, the Court has applied this standard to strike down major initiatives, including President Obama’s Clean Power Plan and President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, ruling that novel executive actions with broad impacts on the national economy cannot rest on vague statutory authority.
It is difficult to imagine a more economically significant set of actions than the one Trump is taking on tariffs, which have inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses on a whim, using a statute that doesn’t mention tariffs. The Court, applying this doctrine even-handedly, will find that such expansive action absent congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.
California is the backbone of the nation’s economy
California’s gross domestic product was $3.9 trillion in 2023, making it 50% bigger than the GDP of the nation’s next-largest state, Texas. The state drives national economic growth and also sends over $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives in federal funding. California is the leading agricultural producer in the country and is also the center for manufacturing output in the United States, with over 36,000 manufacturing firms employing over 1.1 million Californians. The Golden State’s manufacturing firms have created new industries and supplied the world with manufactured goods spanning aerospace, computers and electronics, and, most recently, zero-emission vehicles.
The Golden State is global leader in two-way trade
California engaged in nearly $675 billion in two-way trade in 2024, supporting millions of jobs throughout the state. California’s economy and workers rely heavily on this trade activity, particularly with Mexico, Canada, and China – our top three trade partners. Over 40% of California imports come from these countries, totaling $203 billion of the more than $491 billion in goods imported by California in 2024. These countries are also our top three export destinations, buying nearly $67 billion in California exports, which was over one-third of the state’s $183 billion in exported goods in 2024.
Tariffs irreparably harm California businesses and consumers
As the largest economy in the nation, the largest agriculture state in the nation, and the largest U.S. trading partner, the harm of the tariffs on the state of California is immense. President Trump’s policies have already inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses.
Tariffs have an outsized impact on California businesses, including its more than 60,000 small business exporters.
California Welcomes 32 New State Park Rangers, Lifeguards at Graduation Ceremony
PARADISE — While the federal government cuts staffing for national parks, Gov. Gavin Newsom April 16 celebrated the addition of 32 new state park rangers and lifeguards. These dedicated individuals recently graduated from a rigorous eight-month training program and now join the nation’s largest state park system as peace officers and lifeguards.
The graduation ceremony marked the culmination of a 32-week Basic Visitor Service Training (BVST) Academy. The graduates officially received their badges in front of their family, friends, and department staff. With this milestone, they now embark on careers dedicated to serving, protecting, and educating visitors across California’s 280 state parks.
This year’s graduating BVST 50 class includes 27 rangers and five lifeguards, selected from a competitive pool of approximately 830 applicants. Their assignments span the state, from the North Coast Redwoods to the Central Valley, Santa Cruz, Orange Coast, and Inland Empire districts.
Those interested in a career with California State Parks can go to https://www.parks.ca.gov/jobs.
From the program’s start in September 2024, the cadets have shown unwavering commitment to protecting California’s natural and cultural treasures. Their journey exemplifies this year’s motto: “Water and Land, Together We Stand,” reflecting their dedication to safeguarding the state’s diverse landscapes and waterways for future generations.
“We welcome 32 new guardians of California’s most cherished places,” said State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “These men and women have not only trained hard, but they have chosen a life of service, of standing in the gap between preservation and destruction, between safety and danger. They will be the steady hands guiding lost hikers home, the first responders in times of crisis, and the storytellers who connect us to our past. Their duty is not just a job, but a promise to protect the lands and waters that define who we are as Californians.”
The cadets’ training was extensive, ensuring they are prepared for the challenges ahead. Key areas of instruction included:
- Strategic communication and de-escalation techniques
- Physical arrests and defensive tactics
- Search and rescue operations
- Investigation techniques
- Visitor services, public education and interpretation
- Park resource protection and management
- Firearms training and first aid
The program’s rigorous curriculum also prepared the cadets for the next stage of their journey: a 13-week Field Training Officer Program, where they will gain hands-on, on-the-job training.