The lawsuit has made California the first U.S. state to challenge Trump's use of emergency powers to impose tariffs on imports from major U.S. trading partners.

LOS ANGELES, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of California on Wednesday filed a federal lawsuit to block the Trump administration's sweeping tariffs, claiming that the policy hurts families, small businesses and the state's economy.

"No state is poised to lose more than the state of California," said California Governor Gavin Newsom at an almond farm in the Central Valley on Wednesday, adding that the uncertainty over how much the state could suffer from the tariffs is "pronounced and profound," as almonds, pistachios and dairy products are main exports of the state.

"President Trump's unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses and our economy -- driving up prices and threatening jobs," Newsom said in a statement. "We're standing up for American families who can't afford to let the chaos continue."

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, targeted Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law meant for foreign crises, not for imposing tariffs, Newsom said, arguing that only the U.S. Congress has the authority to set tariffs.

"Donald Trump does not have the authority to impose these destructive and chaotic tariffs. America stands to lose too much," said the governor in a post on social media X. The legal action came as California's business community and farmers have grown increasingly vocal about the harm caused by Washington's tariffs.

The state is the largest exporter of agricultural products and the largest importer in the United States. Mexico, Canada and China are California's top three export destinations, according to the governor's office.

Farmers in the Central Valley, where much of the state's nuts, fruits, and vegetables are grown, felt the impact firsthand. Some have been forced to sell orchards to stay afloat.

"Californians are preparing for the repercussions of the president's decisions -- impacting everyone from farmers in the Central Valley to small enterprises in Sacramento, as well as anxious families at their dinner tables," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday.

Small businesses in California have also suffered. Many had to pass higher costs on to consumers, while others lost customers overseas as foreign buyers turned to suppliers in other countries.

Bonta said his team spoke directly with business owners and trade associations before filing the lawsuit. "We aimed to act swiftly and decisively," he told local media.

"California's farmers and ranchers are at significant risk of bearing the brunt of any potential retaliatory actions resulting from the broad imposition of global tariffs," said Shannon Douglass, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

She noted that many growers were already struggling with labor shortages and inflation, and further trade tensions could threaten the viability of local agriculture, according to a recent report by the Los Angeles Times.

California's legal fight has gained strong backing from local business communities and farmers. The California Chamber of Commerce has decided to lobby the federal government, as it acknowledged the widespread frustration among its members over rising costs and fewer exports.

Newsom said he has been working to make new trade deals with other countries and trying to get California-made products exempted from retaliatory tariffs.

The state's officials warned that Washington's tariffs have already inflicted a loss of billions of U.S. dollars on California's economy. The lawsuit argues that the harm is "immediate and irreparable," affecting everyone from truck drivers to grocery shoppers struggling with higher prices.

Newsom and Bonta asked the court to halt the tariffs while the case moved forward. They said the lawsuit was about protecting California's workers, businesses and families, as well as about ensuring that trade policy decisions are made by Congress, not by a single person in the White House.