Trump has offered many justifications for increasing tariffs, including that they are designed to spur U.S. manufacturing and stop the flow of illicit fentanyl into the country.
California's move follows rapidly changing tariff plans by the Trump administration.
"President Trump's unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses and our economy — driving up prices and threatening jobs," he said in a statement.
As with Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, California is arguing that congressional approval was required for the tariffs.
The state will ask the court to immediately block the tariffs in the lawsuit being filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California,.
The drop has pushed the governor of California to lobby for Canadians to come back to his state.
Domestically, the California action stands to mark a resumption of the tensions between the state and the Trump administration. »