In a major defeat for law-abiding gun owners, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with former President Joe Biden by upholding restrictive “ghost gun” regulations.
The 7-2 decision empowers federal agencies to regulate homemade firearms and DIY kits, representing a direct assault on Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
Today, the Supreme Court ruled to preserve Biden-era regulations requiring homemade firearms, commonly known as “ghost guns,” to have serial numbers and subjecting buyers to background checks.
The decision allows the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to classify gun kits and components as “firearms” under the 1968 Gun Control Act, despite these items not meeting the traditional definition.
In a surprising move, Trump-appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the majority opinion, joining liberal justices and moderate conservatives to uphold the regulation.
Only Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito stood firm in dissent, recognizing the government overreach inherent in the rule.
Gun rights advocates had challenged the regulations, arguing the ATF exceeded its authority by redefining what constitutes a firearm.
The rule specifically targets DIY firearm kits that patriots have legally purchased and assembled for years without government interference.
These kits, which require additional work to become functioning firearms, have been popular among hobbyists and Americans exercising their constitutional right to build their own firearms.
The Biden administration has systematically worked to restrict Americans’ gun rights since taking office.
This gun control advocacy comes despite previously established Supreme Court precedents expanding Second Amendment protections.
The Court’s inconsistency was on full display as it struck down Trump’s bump stock ban in June 2024 but now upholds Biden’s ghost gun regulations.
The federal government claims these regulations are necessary due to an alleged increase in crimes involving homemade firearms.
According to government statistics, ghost guns found at crime scenes rose from under 1,700 in 2017 to over 27,000 in 2023.
Yet, these numbers fail to address how restricting law-abiding citizens’ rights would prevent criminals from obtaining illegal weapons.
The impact on American gun owners is immediate and severe. Manufacturers of legal gun parts have already seen production drop by 36% since the regulation’s implementation.
The ruling requires online kit sellers to conduct background checks and verify buyers’ ages, adding bureaucratic hurdles to exercising constitutional rights.
For MAGA supporters and constitutionalists, the ruling represents another disappointment from a Court that was expected to protect Second Amendment rights.
While the Court has expanded gun rights in certain decisions since 2008, including a 2022 ruling protecting the right to carry handguns in public, this latest decision suggests an alarming inconsistency in defending Americans’ fundamental right to bear arms.
With Trump promising to review and potentially revoke Biden-era gun control policies, the future enforcement of these regulations remains uncertain.
However, the Court’s decision sets a dangerous precedent for federal agencies to redefine established terms in gun legislation, potentially opening the door to further restrictions without congressional approval.
