DEA’s National Take Back Day is THIS Saturday!

 

The Drug Enforcement Administration, in coordination with more than  4,400 law enforcement partners across the country, will host the 28th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering communities across the United States a safe, convenient, and anonymous way to dispose of unneeded prescription medications.

With nearly 4,500 collection sites nationwide, Take Back Day aims to reduce the risk of prescription drug misuse by helping Americans safely remove expired, unwanted, or unused medications from their homes—medications that might otherwise be misused.

For sixteen years, DEA has worked with state and local partners to make safe medication disposal accessible to everyone, helping communities prevent prescription drug misuse and raise awareness of the dangers of keeping unneeded medications in the home.                   

“Disposing of unneeded, expired medications helps us protect the safety and health of our communities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz. “Families can minimize the risk of medications falling into the wrong hands by simply bringing unused medications to one of the 4,500 drop-off locations this Saturday. National Prescription Drug Take Bay Day would not be possible without our incredible local and state law enforcement partners and the community groups who work every year to make Take Back Day a success.” 

“Substance abuse - sometimes leading to opiate addiction - frequently starts when family members take drugs from their parent’s or grandparent’s medicine cabinet.  National Prescription Take Back Day is an easy way that you can help protect your family and the community from this danger,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA is committed to protecting the communities we serve and one way we do this is by collecting unused and unneeded prescription medications at our convenient collection sites, located throughout the Pacific Northwest.”

DEA and its partners will accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids, such as cough syrups, must remain tightly sealed in their original containers. Take Back Day locations will accept vaping devices and cartridges if the lithium batteries are removed. Syringes, sharps, and illicit substances will not be collected. 

According to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine are among the most frequently misused prescription pain medications. 

In October 2024, DEA and its partners collected nearly 630,000 pounds of medications. Since the program’s inception in 2010, more than 19.2 million pounds of medications have been collected and safely destroyed.

Find a collection site near you for Saturday’s event by  visiting www.DEATakeBack.com

For those unable to participate on April 26, nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and law enforcement locations offer year-round drug disposal options across the country to ensure Every Day is Take Back Day. 

During Earth Week, Governor Hochul Announces Launch of Statewide Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan

Multi-Agency Plan Will Establish a Unified Vision To Adapt and Prepare New York Communities for Extreme Weather

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the New York State Adaptation and Resilience Plan to establish a statewide framework to align ongoing State climate adaptation planning and implementation efforts throughout New York communities. Over the course of the next year, this initiative will equip State and local partners with shared direction and foster collaboration across every region of the State, ensuring New Yorkers are better equipped and prepared for the devastating storms that cause more than $1 billion in damages for New York annually.

“As Governor, I have made major investments to prepare local leaders and protect communities across New York from the increasingly severe weather events that have cost us billions of dollars in damages and routinely threaten our safety,” Governor Hochul said. “By developing this statewide initiative to guide our ongoing climate resiliency efforts, we are solidifying a commitment to a safe, affordable and sustainable future that all New Yorkers need and deserve.”

The plan will create a collective vision, principles, planning resources and a gap analysis of existing State agency initiatives, which include a wide array of project types, such as: shoreline restoration, the relocation of critical infrastructure to reduce flood risk, the relocation and raising of flood-prone roadways, and right-sizing dams, bridges and culverts. The coordination initiative for this plan is being led by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Department of State (DOS), Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), in partnership with other State agencies.

As part of the first phase of the plan, the State will host a series of webinars in summer 2025. This initial outreach will be followed by more comprehensive engagement opportunities throughout the development of the plan, including additional in-person and virtual events and direct engagement with local governments and key stakeholders such as community-based organizations. Additional information, as well as upcoming opportunities to get involved, will be shared on the plan’s website.

Recognizing the need for innovative and cross-sector partnerships, the plan will create a unified adaptation and resilience strategy that builds upon and strengthens existing efforts while identifying new options for taking action. New York State will continue to advance investments and initiatives to support local planning and implementation of climate adaptation and resilience actions. Resources immediately available include:

• Funding through the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program, Green Resiliency Grant Program, Resilient Watershed Grants and other Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act-supported programs;
• Targeted climate research through the New York State Climate Impacts Assessment;
• Supporting local and regional planning through programs such as the Smart Growth Countywide Resiliency Planning program, Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and Coastal Lakeshore Economy and Resiliency programs;
• Hazard-focused statewide planning such as the implementation of the Extreme Heat Action Plan.

Additional resources and funding opportunities to support state and local adaptation and resilience are available through the Environmental Bond Act Funding Finder. 

Comptroller Lander Calls for a Rent Freeze in Testimony to the Rent Guidelines Board

 

After reviewing the data, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander called for a rent freeze for the following year in his testimony to the Rent Guidelines Board. 

Comptroller Lander’s testimony as prepared for delivery is below here:

Good morning, Chair Apple, Executive Director McLaughlin, and Members of the Rent Guidelines Board.  Thank you for convening this hearing and for the opportunity to give testimony today.  

Thank you to the RGB for your research, which provides important data on the health and conditions of the rent stabilized housing stock; on the trajectory of rents, costs, net operating income; and on some of the challenges facing tenants and owners. 

For me, the goal has always been clear, given the housing emergency that is the underlying reason for rent stabilization: we must keep rents as low as we possibly can, while ensuring that units are well-maintained, heat and services provided, supers paid, and essential costs covered. 

After carefully reviewing the research reports compiled by the Rent Guidelines Board for 2025, I believe that a rent freeze is appropriate for the upcoming year, following three years of rent increases that have raised rents by nearly 9%.  

A few key metrics have led me to this decision:  

• After adjusting for inflation, Net Operating Income for owners grew by 8% between 2022 and 2023. This is a major turnaround in NOI over the past few years. NOI declined from 2019 to 2020, and again from 2020 to 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, then increased only modestly by just over 4% between 2021 and 2022.
• Increases in NOI are consistent throughout the five boroughs and by the percentage of rent stabilized units:  
  • Increasing in 83% of community districts across New York City.  
  • NOI is up 12% in buildings with at least one stabilized unit, and solidly increasing in buildings with 100% rent stabilized apartments, up 4.6% from 2022 to 2023.  

• From 2022 to 2023, rental income increased an average of 6.9% while operating costs rose an average of 3.8%. Operating costs are rising, of course. But rental income and NOI are rising twice as fast. 

• Building distress has declined for the first time since 2016 and rent collection is up in every single community district in the city. These are strong indicators, that show that the nearly $3 billion in emergency rental assistance funding helped tenants pay rent and increased owners’ ability to operate their buildings, and that rental properties have largely recovered financially since the pandemic.  

• For the small but real handful of buildings facing ongoing distress, my office has recommended detailed strategies that would effectively address the challenges they face. But this does not require an across-the-board rent increase that would hit millions of tenants.  

• At the same time, and this is critical, tenants continue to struggle mightily. More than 45% of rent-stabilized tenants are rent burdened. Low-income tenants struggle to keep up with rising inflation as the Consumer Price Index rose 3.8% in 2024 – even as average, inflation-adjusted wages declined slightly. Representation of tenants facing eviction in Housing Court has continued to decline, from a high of 71% down to a low of 42%, leaving tenants more vulnerable.   

This Board’s job is never easy, balancing the need to keep units affordable amidst a housing emergency, with the need to ensure that there are sufficient resources to maintain building conditions. Back in 2015 and 2016, I advocated for and supported the Board’s decision to freeze rents. Over the few years, coming out of the pandemic, I supported modest increases (though lower than the ones that were ultimately adopted). 

But this year, after three years of substantial increases that have hiked rent stabilized rents by 9%, I believe the evidence is clear:  

New York City is in the midst of a housing emergency and tenants are struggling to make ends meet. The data laid out by the RGB demonstrates that this year, landlords have more than the income they need to keep the heat on, make repairs, pay their supers a living wage, and keep their buildings well maintained.  

I urge the Board to freeze the rent in rent stabilized apartments in the upcoming year, to make this City a little more affordable to hard-working, and too often struggling, New Yorkers.    

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.  

Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and Murdering Man They Misidentified as a Rival Gang Member

 

Following a two-week trial, a federal jury in Minneapolis convicted three Minnesota men yesterday for their involvement in the Highs — a violent Minneapolis street gang — and a gang-related murder on Aug. 7, 2021.

“These defendants participated in a senseless murder and other acts of violence that terrorized their community,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s conviction sends a message to gang members in Minneapolis that there is no glory in gun violence. Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the Department is committed to prosecuting criminal enterprises that use violence and intimidation to exert power in our cities — dismantling violent gangs and securing justice for the victims and their loved ones.”

“Minneapolis criminal street gangs have inflicted devastating harm on our community for far too long. Three years ago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced our federal violent crime initiative to address the skyrocketing and completely unacceptable rates of violent crime in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota. “Since then, we have brought large RICO cases against three criminal street gangs — charging them as the violent enterprises they are. Make no mistake: we will not stop. Criminal street gangs in Minneapolis will continue to see federal justice. The citizens of Minnesota — the many victims of these crimes — deserve no less.”

“This conviction sends a strong message that violent street gangs will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Through the power of the RICO statute, ATF agents, in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, have been able to target the violent criminal activity of the Highs gang. This conviction is a direct result of the tireless work by our agents who are committed to dismantling these criminal organizations and ensuring that those who use violence to control neighborhoods are held accountable. ATF will continue to lead efforts to take down street gangs and protect the citizens of Minneapolis.”

“This was cold-blooded, calculated violence meant to control through fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “They believed violence gave them power—but today’s conviction proves that justice is stronger. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to dismantling these criminal enterprises and holding violent offenders accountable.

“Minneapolis has seen a significant drop in violent crime, especially gun violence, thanks to the outstanding work of MPD officers and our law enforcement partners. Most notably, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in helping us target the small number of individuals driving violence, without causing harm to the broader communities we serve. Together, we’re not just reducing crime — we’re rebuilding trust,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

“The verdict marks a decisive victory in the fight against violent criminal organizations,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Reducing violence in this community has required a change in tactics, and IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are perfectly poised to support our law enforcement partners in this effort. Our agents will continue to apply their financial expertise and investigative skills to bring justice to those who endanger our communities and threaten our way of life.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keon Pruitt, 22, Dantrell Johnson, 32, and Gregory Hamilton, 29, each of Minneapolis, were members of various “cliques,” or subsets, of the Highs — a criminal enterprise that controlled territory north of West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. Evidence at trial proved that the Highs gang committed multiple murders, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations, burglaries, assaults, and robberies. As members of the Highs, the defendants were expected to retaliate against the rival Lows gang, which operated south of West Broadway Avenue.

On Aug. 7, 2021, a prominent Highs member was shot and killed by a Lows member at the Winner gas station, a Highs hangout. The following day, Highs members organized a memorial for the deceased member at the gas station, where they distributed firearms and encouraged each other to retaliate against Lows members for the murder. Defendants Pruitt, Johnson, and Hamilton were all in attendance at the memorial.

Later that day, Johnson and Hamilton drove to a known Lows hangout — Wally’s Foods — and shot a Lows associate, who survived his injuries. Approximately two hours later, Johnson, Hamilton, and Pruitt drove to Skyline Market, another known Lows hangout, to shoot another Lows member. Inside the market, they shot a man whom they mistakenly believed to be a Lows member — which was captured on the store’s cameras. The victim ran for his life from the store and into the street. Pruitt, who was driving two juvenile members in a stolen Porsche, let the juveniles out of the car. The juvenile members then chased the victim into a nearby alley and fatally shot him. The victim was shot at least eight times.

The jury convicted Prutt, Johnson, and Hamilton of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This is the first of several trials scheduled in this case, which charged a total of 28 defendants with RICO conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses, and other charges related to their activities as members and associates of the Highs gang. Sixteen defendants are pending trial.

The ATF, FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, and numerous other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation.

WAKE UP, MAYOR ADAMS: NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE CALLS ON MAYOR TO RELEASE INVOLUNTARY TRANSPORT DATA, FOLLOW THE LAW

 

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams urged the administration to release data on the outcomes of NYPD involuntary transports today, as the mayor and others push to expand the involuntary commitment of New Yorkers. While data was made available for the 661 clinician-initiated transports in 2024, no corresponding number is public for the 7060 initiated by the NYPD. The Public Advocate also released the following statement:

“Wake up, Mayor Adams. The unintended consequences of passing this proposal to lowering standards could be dire, and lead to the criminalization of poverty, homelessness, and how it presents itself in our city. We have to be focused on helping people, not hiding them. If the mayor is committed to that goal, the least he can do is show us the data. Despite what the mayor and governor say, the choice is not between doing nothing and doing the wrong thing.”

The Public Advocate sent a letter to the NYPD requesting this essential data be made public as the administration continues to double down on a strategy without showing evidence of its effectiveness and despite evidence to the contrary.

He also held a press conference today to amplify this call, to ask that the mayor follow the existing law before pushing for new, harmful ones, and to highlight the need to strengthen and sustain support for New Yorkers in the greatest need.

A copy of the letter is below.

April 24, 2025

Dear Commissioner Tisch,

I recently wrote to Mayor Adams to express deep concern about the administration’s push to expand the use of involuntary commitment laws rather than following existing laws designed to support New Yorkers in need. A January report to the City Council [2024 Involuntary Transports Annual Report] from the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health tracked involuntary transports across city agencies in 2024. According to that report, the NYPD initiated 7,060 of these transports.

In that communication, I raised a critical and still unaddressed issue: The data provided shows that clinician-initiated transports—661 in total—resulted in hospital admissions 58% of the time. However, there is no comparable data regarding the outcomes of the NYPD-initiated transports. What were the outcomes of the 7,060 individuals transported to hospitals by the NYPD? 

This information is not just a matter of public transparency—it is essential for policymaking. As conversations continue in Albany around potentially expanding the use of involuntary commitment through the state budget, we must have a clear, data-driven understanding of how these transports are currently being used, and with what outcomes. Without that, we risk shaping policy without fully grasping its real-world implications.

My office is requesting this information from the department, and urges you to release the data publicly to engage in good-faith collaboration with oversight bodies and community stakeholders to ensure practices align with public health priorities, civil liberties, and accountability. Please direct follow-up correspondence to my office through Chief Deputy Public Advocate for Policy Veronica Aveis at vaveis@advocate.nyc.gov.

Sincerely,

Jumaane D. Williams

Public Advocate for the City of New York

MAYOR ADAMS, NYPD COMMISSIONER TISCH, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS DESTROY 3,575 SEIZED ILLEGAL FIREARMS, FURTHERING MISSION TO END GUN VIOLENCE AND KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE

 

More Than 21,400 Illegal Guns Have Been Seized Since Start of Adams Administration 

More Than 1,600 Gun Seizures Year-to-Date Have Led to Historic Declines in Gun Violence, Including Double-Digit Declines in Murders 

Shootings Down in All Five Boroughs Following Quarter with Fewest Shootings in History 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and various community and faith activists and leaders today celebrated the destruction of 3,375 seized illegal handguns and 200 rifles. The firearms — a small fraction of the more than 21,400 seized firearms under the Adams administration — were demolished at evidence destruction vendor Reworld in Westbury, New York to ensure a safe and secure disposal process.

“Today, we say goodbye and good riddance to thousands of illegal guns that no longer threaten the safety of our neighborhoods, our families, or our children by sending over 3,500 illegal guns off to their final destination: into a gun chipper to be turned into scrap metal and eventually recycled,” said Mayor Adams. “These guns will never be used again to endanger another child, terrify another New Yorker, or destroy another life. Although today's destruction has dammed up one more river that leads to the sea of violence, we know that there is always more work to be done. We will keep pressing for more — more officers, more safety, more results. And because of our continued mission to eradicate gun violence, New York City continues to be the safest big city in America.”

“Destroying these 3,575 illegal guns is the final step in a process that starts with precision policing — identifying the right targets, recovering the right weapons, and getting them off our streets for good,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Every one of these guns was in the hands of someone who never should’ve had it. And each one represents a violent act that was prevented because the NYPD got there first. This is how you drive down shootings, and it’s exactly what we’ll keep doing. Thank you to Mayor Adams for giving us the tools, the support, and the backing to do this work at the highest level.”

The firearms destroyed today will be donated to the School of Cooperative Technical Education (Coop Tech), part of New York City Public Schools. Students who are enrolled in the Coop Tech welding vocational program will repurpose the metal and create a memorial to honor the many victims and their families who have been affected by gun violence. The memorial will aim to represent not only the resilience of New York City after tragedy but also act as a reminder for generations to come that it is never acceptable to possess an illegal firearm or commit violence against another individual.

Because of the Adams administration's steadfast focus on eradicating gun violence, homicides and shootings have consistently declined over the last three years, dropping a total of 22.7 percent and 42.2 percent, respectively. Through the first three months of 2025, homicides decreased by 34.4 percent and shootings decreased by 23.1 percent compared to the same period the previous year, representing 50 fewer shooting victims. Quarter one of 2025 had the second-lowest number of homicides in the city’s recorded first-quarter history, and marked the first time in seven years that the city has had zero murders in the transit system. Additionally, quarter one had the lowest number of shootings for any three-month period in the city’s recorded history.

These historic declines in gun violence were also accompanied by a 10.9 percent reduction in overall index crime across the city through March 31, with major reductions in crime and shootings in all five boroughs.

Out of the more than 21,400 guns seized since the beginning of the Adams administration, over 1,400 of them have been identified as ghost guns — unserialized, and therefore untraceable, firearms that are put together by components purchased either as a kit or as separate pieces or printed through 3-D printers, and that are fully-functioning just like fully-finished, serialized firearms. These untraceable firearms often end up in the hands of criminals, as well as underage purchasers. Incidents involving ghost guns reflect a dangerously escalating trend, one that the NYPD is leading the charge against. The NYPD recovered 17 ghost guns in 2018, 48 in 2019, 150 in 2020, 263 in 2021, 585 in 2022, 394 in 2023, 438 in 2024, and already 71 so far year-to-date.

In July 2024, Mayor Adams led the charge in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold commonsense ghost gun regulations. Along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., Mayor Adams announced the filing of an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Garland v. VanDerStok, in support of federal regulations issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that require ghost gun parts to have serial numbers and compel background checks for prospective buyers of ghost gun home-assembly kits.  

Ending gun violence continues to be Mayor Adams’ top priority. In his first month in office, in January 2022, Mayor Adams released the “Blueprint to End Gun Violence,” which laid out his priorities to immediately address the crisis of guns on New York City streets. Pursuant to the blueprint, in March 2022, the NYPD launched its Neighborhood Safety Teams to focus on gun violence prevention in areas that account for a disproportionate number of citywide shootings.

Mayor Adams’ comprehensive gun violence strategy also includes upstream solutions guided by the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force he established in June 2022, which focuses on diversion programs, prevention efforts, and expanded opportunities for young people — all targeting the root causes of gun violence to ensure a safer environment for all New Yorkers. The task force’s commitments are formalized in the “Blueprint for Community Safety,” an investment of nearly $500 million to create safer, more resilient communities, with a focus on intervention and prevention.

The Adams administration also leads the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, a 30+ multi-agency law enforcement partnership focused on strengthening investigations and prosecutions of the most severe gun offenders who drive violence in New York City. Members of the team meet every weekday morning to review felony gun violence arrests from the previous 24 hours and share intelligence to ensure perpetrators are held accountable and New Yorkers are kept safe. The partnership reviewed more than 700 cases in 2024, resulting in 85.5 percent of individuals held on bail or remand.

Affordable Housing Lottery Launched for 811 Elsmere Place in Tremont, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 811 Elsmere Place, a four-story residential building in Tremont, The Bronx. Designed by Fred Geremia Architects & Planners and developed by Paul Durgaj of Durgaj Properties, the structure yields 12 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are four units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $83,006 to $218,010.

Residences include air conditioning, hardwood floors, and name-brand kitchen appliances, countertops, and finishes. Tenants are responsible for electricity including stove, heat, and hot water. The building features bike storage lockers.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are two studios with a monthly rent of $2,421 for incomes ranging from $72,000 to $124,150; one one-bedroom with a monthly rent of $2,461 for incomes ranging from $76,149 to $139,620; and one two-bedroom with a monthly rent of $2,716 for incomes ranging from $92,743 to $167,570.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than May 7, 2025.

Attorney General James and Governor Hochul Announce Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Imposing Illegal Tariffs

 

New York and 11 States Sue to Stop Tariffs That Will Slow Economic Growth, Increase Unemployment, Raise Inflation, and Risk Recession

Imposed Tariffs Have Led to Increased Costs of Imported Goods, Agriculture, Energy, Construction Materials, and Labor

New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York and a coalition of 11 other states are suing the Trump administration for illegally imposing unprecedented tax hikes on Americans in the form of tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs raise taxes on imports from nearly every country on Earth, including America’s closest allies and trading partners, and they have already caused severe economic damage. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general, argues that Congress has not granted the president the authority to impose these tariffs and therefore the administration violated the law by imposing them through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders. The coalition seeks a court order halting these IEEPA tariffs, including the worldwide tariffs that were paused on April 9, and preventing the Trump administration from enforcing or implementing them.  

“The president does not have the power to raise taxes on a whim, but that’s exactly what President Trump has been doing with these tariffs,” said Attorney General James. “Donald Trump promised that he would lower prices and ease the cost of living, but these illegal tariffs will have the exact opposite effect on American families. His tariffs are unlawful and if not stopped, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage.”  

“President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country. New York is standing up to fight back against the largest federal tax hike in American history,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Attorney General James and I are partnering on this litigation on behalf of New York consumers, because we can't let President Trump push our country into a recession.”

At most, the IEEPA allows the president to impose tariffs in response to extraordinary threats or a specific emergency. However, since February, President Trump has been unilaterally imposing sweeping tariffs against America’s closest trading partners. These tariffs expanded in a series of announcements in April to now cover nearly every country worldwide, including places that are not involved in international trade, such as the Heard and McDonald Islands, which have no known human inhabitants.  

In addition to the severe economic damage that President Trump’s tariffs have already caused, the coalition warns they could cause even more destruction if allowed to continue. The lawsuit argues the IEEPA tariffs will increase unemployment, raise inflation, and threaten Americans’ wages by slowing economic growth. The president’s tariffs will harm the states and their residents by making important goods ranging from electronics to building materials more expensive and scarce.

These costs will severely impact New Yorkers. Economists estimate the increased tariffs will cost the average family thousands of dollars per year, and a report from the New York City Comptroller estimated that even a mild recession caused by the tariffs would lead to over 35,000 lost jobs in New York City alone. New York state agencies could end up paying over $100 million in extra costs due to tariffs increasing prices. Retaliatory tariffs imposed by Canada on the hundreds of millions of dollars in electricity that New York imports every year would cause New Yorkers’ energy bills to spike. Across the state, small businesses that rely on imports are already reeling from the threat of higher prices and uncertainty caused by the administration’s policies. In Central New York, the Cortland Standard, one of the oldest family-owned newspapers in the country, announced it would cease publication in part due to an expected tariff on newsprint.

The lawsuit, filed in the United States Court of International Trade, asserts that President Trump has no authority to impose tariffs as he has. While the president has declared emergencies and invoked IEEPA to justify these tariffs, not once has any other president used IEEPA to impose tariffs like this in the five decades since it became law. As the coalition argues in the lawsuit, the law was not designed to allow the president to unilaterally impose worldwide tariffs indiscriminately. In addition, the coalition argues that the Trump administration has overstepped its authority and violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by imposing these tariffs.  

With this lawsuit, the coalition is seeking a court order declaring the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariff orders to be in violation of the law and ordering the administration to stop implementing or enforcing these tariffs.  

Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.