* Click here for the court order. Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, with 20 attorneys general, won a court order stopping the Trump administration from dismantling three federal agencies that provide services and funding supporting public libraries, museums, workers, and minority-owned businesses nationwide.

In April, Raoul joined the coalition in suing the Trump administration to stop the implementation of an executive order that would dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued an order Tuesday granting the states’ request for a preliminary injunction to stop the administration from implementing the order and protecting the three agencies.

“The administration’s actions jeopardize critical library and museum programs across the state. These programs help residents of rural communities and underserved youth access educational opportunities and technology,” Raoul said. “I am proud to stand with my fellow attorneys general to stop the unconstitutional attempt to dismantle agencies created by Congress.”

The executive order is the administration’s latest attempt to dismantle federal agencies in defiance of Congress. Attorney General Raoul and the coalition are seeking to stop the dismantling of three agencies targeted in the administration’s executive order:

• The IMLS, which supports museums and libraries nationwide through grantmaking, research and policy development.
• The MBDA, which promotes the growth and inclusion of minority-owned businesses through federal financial assistance programs.
• The FMCS, which promotes the resolution of labor disputes.

As Attorney General Raoul and the coalition assert in the lawsuit, dismantling these agencies will harm communities throughout Illinois and the nation that rely on them to provide important services to the public, including funding their libraries, promoting minority-owned businesses and protecting workers’ rights.

The preliminary injunction granted halts the executive order as it applies to IMLS, MBDA and FMCS. The court found that the states had established a strong likelihood of success on their claims that the order violates the Administrative Procedure Act and disregards the Constitution by attempting to dismantle agencies that Congress established and funded by law.

Joining Attorney General Raoul in this lawsuit are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

* Click here for the lawsuit. Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general, today filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from illegally terminating billions in congressionally approved funding for electric vehicle infrastructure.

In response to a presidential executive order, the Federal Highway Administration is withholding $117 million that it previously made available to Illinois for the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, hindering Illinois from achieving its goal of having 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.

“Once again, the Trump administration is attempting to usurp the power of the purse granted to Congress in our Constitution,” Raoul said. “Our transition to a clean energy future includes investing in electric vehicle infrastructure, which was rightfully acknowledged by Congress. I will continue to stand with my fellow attorneys general to fight back against the president’s illegal actions that harm our residents.”

In 2022, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. One provision of the IIJA appropriated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI) to facilitate electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the nation.

On Jan. 20, President Trump signed an executive order that mandated all federal agencies to pause the disbursement of funds related to the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act, including NEVI funding. Despite being tasked by Congress to fund NEVI, the Federal Highway Administration notified states in early February that the agency was revoking all previously approved plans to implement NEVI, a requirement for funding under IIJA.

Raoul and the coalition’s lawsuit seeks a court order against the Federal Highway Administration’s unlawful actions and a restoration of the electric vehicle infrastructure funding to the states.

Joining Raoul in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin and Vermont.

* Click here for the motion. Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, with 12 attorneys general, today filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in the coalition’s lawsuit to halt implementation of President Trump’s illegal tariffs. The motion seeks a court order pausing the tariffs imposed under four of the administration’s executive orders without congressional action.

“Our states’ economies rely on international trade, particularly in Illinois, where agriculture is a top industry. The administration’s arbitrary tariffs will impose higher prices on goods our producers and residents rely on and result in unnecessary economic chaos,” Raoul said. “I am committed to continuing to partner with my colleagues to prevent hardworking Americans from footing the bill for the administration’s unlawful tariffs.”

Raoul and the coalition’s motion asks the U.S. Court of International Trade to order federal agencies to stop collecting illegal tariffs the administration imposed on most worldwide products. These tariffs impose a 145% tariff on most products from China, a 25% tariff on most types of products from Canada and Mexico, and 10% tariffs on most products from the rest of the world. Raoul’s motion asks the court to halt the administration’s plan to raise tariffs on imports from 56 other trading partners on July 9.

The motion provides an economic analysis that shows state and local governments in the coalition states stand to pay at least $3.4 billion per year in additional costs due to the tariffs. The states also submitted a Federal Reserve report noting that businesses “expected elevated input cost growth resulting from tariffs” and that “most businesses expected to pass through additional costs to customers.”

Raoul and the attorneys general explain in the motion that only Congress has the authority to lay and collect taxes and duties on imported goods. The executive orders cite the powers granted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), but the attorneys general explain that the law does not give the president authority to impose these tariffs. It only applies when an emergency presents “unusual and extraordinary threat” from abroad – not an ongoing problem. Congress enacted the IEEPA in 1977 and no president had imposed tariffs based on the act until now.

Joining Attorney General Raoul in filing this lawsuit are attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont.

* More…

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL TO JOIN STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL AT HEARING ON FEDERAL OVERREACH
Event is Third in National Series of Community Impact Hearings Around the Country

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul tonight will join four state attorneys general in a Community Impact Hearing in New York, where they will hear from the public about how the Trump administration’s executive orders and other actions are harming them and how they can fight back. This will be the third hearing in a national series of similar events hosted by attorneys general around the country. Raoul will be joined by several other attorneys general who have taken action together against the administration to defend critical services, maintain the benefits people rely on and fight back against federal overreach.

Who: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul  
California Attorney General Rob Bonta
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin
New York Attorney General Letitia James

When: Thursday, May 8, 2025
5 to 7 p.m. CST
Press should arrive no later than 3:45 p.m. CST

Where: SUNY Westchester Community College
75 Grasslands Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Livestream: ag.ny.gov/livestream