Trump Administration Files Landmark Lawsuits Against Virginia and California Over Gun Restrictions

The Justice Department filed lawsuits against Virginia and California on Wednesday, challenging state firearm restrictions that the department says violate the Second Amendment and unlawfully limit Americans’ constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

The suits target a Virginia law banning the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles and a newly enacted California law restricting the sale of some pistols that can be modified into fully automatic weapons. The actions represent the latest effort by the Trump administration to roll back state-level gun control measures.

In a statement, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said: “The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California. We will work to stop this blatant trampling of our rights by the California government to protect the rights of lawful gun owners.”

The Justice Department’s lawsuit against Virginia argues that the state law unlawfully prohibits the commercial purchase of AR-15-style rifles, which it identifies as the most popular rifle in America. The department claims enforcement of the law constitutes a pattern or practice that deprives residents of their constitutional right to buy and sell firearms protected by the Second Amendment.

In a separate lawsuit, the Justice Department challenged California’s new restrictions on so-called “machinegun-convertible pistols,” including certain Glock handguns, as well as the state’s long-standing Handgun Roster. The California law took effect Tuesday.

The department contends that both sets of restrictions unlawfully limit the sale of constitutionally protected firearms and seeks to block their enforcement.

The legal challenges come as the Supreme Court prepares to hear two cases addressing whether the Second Amendment protects the right to own AR-15-style rifles, following recent rulings expanding Second Amendment protections in cases involving Hawaii and Texas.