The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against California to strike down the state’s newly enacted ban on semi-automatic rifles, specifically targeting handguns made by Glock and similar firearms.
Second Amendment Rights
The lawsuit argues that California’s restrictions openly violate the Second Amendment rights of citizens. Federal officials stated that the state has overstepped its constitutional boundaries by targeting widely owned firearms.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, ‘The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California. California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America.’ The Justice Department’s case hinges on recent judicial precedent, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Wolford v. Lopez, which reaffirmed that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect the right of citizens to carry handguns outside of their homes for self-defense.
Constitutional Rights
The Civil Rights Division is leading the litigation, framing the lawsuit as a necessary intervention against unconstitutional state overreach. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said, ‘The Civil Rights Division will defend law-abiding citizens from states that seek to disarm them illegally.’ The lawsuit seeks an immediate halt to the enforcement of both the semi-automatic rifle ban and the state’s handgun roster.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
