The Chamber of Commerce may give President Trump a legal fight over his plan to slap 5% tariffs on all Mexican goods, eventually rising to 25%, if the country doesn’t crack down on immigration to the U.S.
“We would like to persuade the administration that there are better ways” to deal with the immigration situation, Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s chief policy officer told Bloomberg on Friday, adding that the organization was “also exploring what legal options might be available.”
A Chamber spokesman confirmed that it was mulling its legal options but declined to comment further.
On Thursday, Bradley said that “Imposing tariffs on goods from Mexico is exactly the wrong move. These tariffs will be paid by American families and businesses without doing a thing to solve the very real problems at the border.” The Chamber has long supported a relatively open immigration policy, arguing that immigrants on the whole boost the economy.
Trump said he will impose the tariffs by using his powers in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which authorizes the president to investigate, regulate, or prohibit transactions with foreign countries in order to protect national security.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, argued Thursday that the president was overstepping his legal authority.
“Trade policy and border security are separate issues. This is a misuse of presidential tariff authority and counter to congressional intent,” he said.
Other business groups said they will lobby hard to get the White House to back down on the proposed tariffs. “We have taken our concerns to the highest levels of the administration and strongly urge them to consider carefully the impact of this action on working families across this country,” said National Association of Manufacturers President Jay Timmons on Friday.
