Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito made the decision to block a regulation over “ghost guns,” untraceable and unregulated guns that can be assembled at home. The regulation was from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Because of Alito’s decision, it would be on hold for a whole week. The Biden Administration told the court to put on hold a decision at a Texas district court. According to the rule, sellers would require to be licensed and have a background check on them.
The law was issued by the Justice Department in 2022, it was to clarify that ghost guns and parts kits would be classified under firearms in accord with the Gun Control Act. Manufacturers need to be licensed and require serial numbers.
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Ghost Guns Regulation
According to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the ATF and the DOJ implemented it to make it more difficult for prohibited individuals and criminals to obtain ghost guns and help law enforcement to trace these firearms.
In response, the Department of Justice submitted a document wanting the court’s ruling to be blocked, and criticizing their handling as these ghost guns would allow minors and felons to find a loophole around law.
Earlier in Texas, District Court Judge Reed O’Connor blocked the regulation in the state as they believed it went beyond the statutory authority. The Administration had asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to halt it, but they declined.
They chose to make a decision following advocates who filed a complaint about the law, though the court did not choose to issue a national injunction.
As a result, they turned to the Supreme Court and informed them to take control of the case and hear arguments from the public if they chose to decline it. Alito gave firearms advocates, gun manufacturers and owners time until August 2, 2023.
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