The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit on Tuesday on behalf of food business Gellert Global Group, urging the Court of International Trade to find the Trump administration's "liberation day" import taxes against Canada unlawful and to order refunds with interest for affected importers. According to the BBC, the suit argues that the White House exceeded its authority in imposing the tariffs and caused "immediate harm to American businesses."
The legal challenge targets the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the administration justified through a national emergency declaration over fentanyl trafficking. The Justice Center's filing contends the president lacked lawful authority to impose the duties and that importers who paid them are entitled to their money back with interest.
The case adds a courtroom front to the political fight over Trump's tariff agenda less than two weeks before the midterms. Business groups have warned that the duties raise costs for American companies and consumers, while the administration defends them as leverage to force concessions from trading partners. The Court of International Trade, which has exclusive jurisdiction over challenges to U.S. tariff actions, will now weigh whether the emergency powers were lawfully invoked.