>> Illinois's tense relationship with the federal government continues from tariffs to voter data.

The state has filed several lawsuits in response to recent proposals from the Trump administration.

Now, as the state awaits a response, Illinoisans are wondering how they could be impacted.

Joining us talk more about this is Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

Welcome Back, AG, thanks for joining us.

Thanks for having me.

So last week, your office along with 22 other attorneys general announced that you filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over there impose tariffs for the 3rd time.

This time President Trump is alleging that these tariffs are for countries that have not done enough to enforce restrictions on goods that are made by forced labor.

What's your response to his reasons this time?

>> the the reasons.

>> In part a R irrelevant.

It's the process, right?

He does not have the power to impose these.

Terrence.

We've gone through this twice before he's trying.

He's trying different different portions of acts.

First, it was out since trade act.

A different section for of the trade act that we beat them tariffs.

2 point.

Oh, but he's still violating the law in how he does And thereby raising prices on American consumers, American businesses at the worst time to be doing so, you know, at a time when this war that he's entered into an necessarily have has already risen prices on American consumers and businesses that said, I know you're the attorney general for Illinois, but if forced labor labor is the problem.

>> tariffs how you address forced labor.

You know, that would that would be my approach.

You have hone in on that directly.

>> We're we're dealing tariffs being imposed on 80 countries that comprise about 99 over 99% of imports into the United States either imported products were imported part of products that are made within the U.S.

And so it's punishing Americans.

It's punishing American consumers and punishing American businesses.

>> A recent analysis by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded that American consumers and business is, as you said, Pete, nearly 90% of the cost of tariffs in 2025, what are some of the main industries where Illinois and stuff the impacts of these terrible?

I think it's a manufacturing certainly the the farming industry has has been impacted by by tears, but it's really across across the board.

When you talk about because these these are tariffs on on again, 80 countries that comprise at 9% of all imports and into the U.S.

and so got many industries that are are somehow touched by by the stairs, right?

And you mentioned, of course, the ongoing war with Iran and the impact on costs continuing to rise with more tariffs.

Impact is already rising costs.

Well, it would do so.

As you mentioned, 90% of of the costs passed on to 2 American consumers.

And so it's like a tax on and increase on on consumers that are already struggling to with the affordability crisis.

And and notwithstanding the fact that the president says that affordability is a new word and the crisis is not real.

It is real.

If you American families who are struggling today.

A federal judge recently ruled that the Department of Justice does not have the authority to demand Illinois's or any other states for that matter.

They're unredacted voter registration list.

>> What what do you think is wrong?

What what's the problem with the administration getting their hands on on voter registration list?

>> Well, the main problem is the Constitution.

The Constitution gives to the states the authority to administer elections in all of the state and the president seems have to have a disregard for the Constitution and and the privacy of individuals at that.

And so door problem is This is one of many actions that we've taken to protect the privacy of Americans.

But but this is also one of many actions we've taken to protect the Constitution.

>> Your office recently published guide to help Illinois voters in the upcoming midterm election.

What did you want them to know with this guide?

What we want them to know, for instance, too, make plans to to to vote.

You know, that concerns raised with regards to not withstanding the president's attempts to mail-in voting.

That's another area where he's we've prevailed over president.

Mail-in voting.

Does continue to exist here in the state of Illinois as well as in other states.

However, we want to caution folks to make their plans to if they're going to vote by mail to do so early Concerns about how swiftly postal service might process elections well, and we not.

All right on that and the event that we have and we need to take actions there.

You know, the attorney general's office historically had election day duty.

We've.

We've had to look more broadly than that because as early voting, this mail-in voting and so forth and so we are collaborating with other states and other advocacy organizations to make sure that the right to vote is protected here in Illinois and throughout the country.

You also recently filed a lawsuit against the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development after its attempt to cap funding for permanent housing projects to address homelessness in Illinois.

>> Explain for us what this means and how it impacts the people who were depending on the service is once again an illegal cap grants that would come from HUD for to address.

>> Homelessness per minute, man and so >> the administration's exceeding its authority to try impose these caps.

And again, at the worst time to be doing so when people are indeed struggling with with homelessness housing insecurity.

And so the heart with This is is one thing.

But the legality is is is the other because, of course, that the administration has their approach to homelessness has been at odds with the state's approach, which has been a >> housing first approach then providing those other services with regards to, you know, mental health or substance abuse treatment for says treat that first, then get the people housing, which has been a part of the Trump administration.

You know, housing first establish a certain stability in order for you to take care of those other.

>> Concerns that whether it's meant to offer.

Education and our a Services.

And so okay.

>> You've made several comments urging Congress to restore the temporary protected status of Haitians are also, of course, a descendant of Haitian immigrants.

What is your response to those that argue that TPS status should giving that it is temporary?

>> Well, TPS is for circumstances where you might individuals from another country seeking asylum in the country because of the conditions in that and their home country.

I was disappointed with Supreme Court's decision because it disregarded the fact that there's a mandate that the secretary of Homeland Security consult with the State Department before making any such decision to terminate TPS.

Have done?

So they would realize that State Department does not allow commercial flights fly to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti because of conditions in Haiti.

This gang violence, there's a lack medical services.

This is all a spelled out on the State website as to what the conditions in Haiti.

So if there were ever a situation where TPS should be continue, it obviously exist with what I've said with gas stations.

The other thing about that lawsuit ignored the the the and a that.

A majority in the court said that there was no racial animus in the decision-making, notwithstanding the president's statement about Haiti con it s country and saying why should we be taken Haitian immigrants instead of taking immigrants from Sweeting, Sweden and Norway.

If there's if there's not a clear race races animist displayed in the president's words, I don't know what what racism is.

And before we run out of time to let you go AG some other state news, Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch is under some firing for his handling of harassment investigation into now.

>> Former State lawmaker Harry Benton and some of his own interactions.

We understand that your office does not have a role in that investigation.

But, you know, as a member of his party as well, do you think that he should step down as speaker when you think should happen here?

Well, the determination of who was speaker to in a democratic manner by members of the House of Representative.

>> And I think the members of that where we're coming up on on the beginning of another, general assembly and members of the House of Representatives hat will have the ability, the assess the situation and I G S report as has been made public.

Our role was to review and to make recommendations on any redactions.

But that's that was our I think the Democratic