In a significant victory for gun control advocates, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to uphold the Biden administration’s regulations on untraceable homemade firearms known as “ghost guns,” marking a rare decision by the conservative-majority court to support firearm restrictions.
The 2022 rules require manufacturers of DIY gun assembly kits to include serial numbers and conduct background checks on buyers closing a loophole that allowed these weapons to evade traditional tracking measures. Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, dismissed claims that the kits fell outside existing gun laws, noting wryly that their marketing with names like “Buy Build Shoot” revealed their purpose.
Rising Threat
The ruling addresses what law enforcement calls a growing crisis: Ghost guns recovered from crime scenes surged over 1,000% since 2017, with recent high-profile cases including the alleged use of one in the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York.
Legal and Political Impact
The decision rebuffs challenges from gun rights groups that argued the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) overstepped its authority under the 1968 Gun Control Act. It remains unclear how the Trump administration, which has ordered a review of Biden-era gun policies, will respond.
The ruling signals a potential shift in the court’s approach to gun regulations after its 2022 Bruendecision expanded Second Amendment rights. Advocates hail it as a critical step to curb gun violence, while opponents warn of regulatory overreach.
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