Challenges to Economic Sanctions in the U.S. Courts
The start of the new Trump term has made more salient calls to amend the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to place limitations on the use of economic sanctions by the executive branch. Though the first Trump administration and the Biden administration both used sanctions in large numbers, they did so in very different manners. This Essay explores the use of sanctions by President Biden and President Trump. It also details the grounds upon which sanctions may be subject to challenges in US courts, and the limits of the US judiciary to impose meaningful restraints on the executive’s use of sanctions. As such, the Essay then details the proposals that have been made in recent years to allow the legislative branch a more active role in either monitoring or implementing sanctions.
Recommended Citation: Christine Abely, Challenges to Economic Sanctions in the U.S. Courts, 48 Fordham Int'l L.J. 989 (2025).