Biden administration's regulation requires manufacturers to have serial numbers and keep records of who purchased ghost gun kits
Decision could have significant implications for gun control laws and regulations
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down this rule but Justice Department appealed to Supreme Court
Ghost guns are untraceable firearms that can be assembled at home from kits
Gun Control Act of 1968 permits such regulations according to DOJ interpretation
Gun rights groups argue this interpretation is incorrect and would put them 'on the brink of economic destruction'
Supreme Court to review Biden administration's regulations on 'ghost guns'
The Supreme Court has agreed to review the Biden administration's regulations on 'ghost guns,' which are untraceable firearms that can be assembled at home from kits. The controversy surrounds the interpretation of the Gun Control Act of 1968 and whether it permits such regulations. Both sides, including gun rights groups and the Justice Department, have asked the Supreme Court to take up this case.
Ghost guns are a concern for law enforcement due to their lack of traceability. In 2021, over 19,000 ghost guns were recovered at crime scenes across the United States. However, gun rights advocates argue that these regulations are unconstitutional and abusive.
The Biden administration's regulation requires manufacturers to have serial numbers on the kits and keep records of who purchased them. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down this rule in late 2023, but the Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court. The DOJ argues that the Gun Control Act of 1968 permits such regulations because it defines a 'firearm' to include any weapon that can be converted to expel a projectile by an explosive or the frame or receiver of any such weapon.
Gun rights groups, on the other hand, argue that this interpretation is incorrect and would put them 'on the brink of economic destruction.' The Firearms Policy Coalition, one of the groups challenging this regulation in court, is delighted that their case will be heard by the Supreme Court. They believe that their victory in the Fifth Circuit should apply to the entire country.
The Supreme Court's decision on this matter could have significant implications for gun control laws and regulations.
The impact on gun rights groups' businesses if the regulation stands could vary depending on factors such as market size, competition, and regulatory compliance costs
The interpretation of the Gun Control Act of 1968 regarding ghost guns is not clear-cut and may depend on specific case law and precedent
The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the Biden administration’s regulation on so-called ‘ghost guns’ next term.
Gun rights groups argue that the rule is unconstitutional and abusive.
Accuracy
The ATF issued the rule in 2022 to regulate 'buy build shoot' kits that allow individuals to assemble a firearm without background checks or serial numbers.
Ghost guns were seized at crime scenes in 19,000 instances in 2021 according to the Justice Department.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in the way it presents the Biden administration's ghost gun rule. It fails to disclose that the ATF's rule was issued to address a significant increase in ghost guns being used in crimes. The author also implies that gun rights groups are against the regulation without explicitly stating it, which can mislead readers into thinking there is no support for the rule.
Gun rights groups say that the rule is "unconstitutional and abusive."
The Justice Department had argued in court that local law enforcement agencies seized more than 19,000 ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in just five years.
The rule in question was issued in 2022 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to regulate "buy build shoot" kits that are available online or in stores that allow any individual to assemble a working firearm without a background check or the usual serial numbers required by the federal government.
The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether the Biden administration overstepped a 1968 federal law by imposing new regulations on the makers of ‘ghost guns.’
Ghost guns are kits that a user can purchase online to assemble a fully functional firearm at home. They carry no serial numbers, do not require background checks and provide no transfer records for traceability.
Critics say ghost guns are attractive to people who are otherwise legally prohibited from buying firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives approved a regulation in 2022 that required the manufacturers to have serial numbers on the kits and keep records of who purchased them.
Both sides - the administration and the manufacturers - asked the Supreme Court to take the case.
Accuracy
The rule does not prohibit the sale or possession of any ghost gun kit, nor does it block an individual from purchasing such a kit. Instead, it requires compliance with federal laws that impose conditions on the commercial sale of firearms.
Nearly 14,000 suspected ghost guns were recovered by law enforcement in five months last year.
President Biden required companies selling ghost gun kits to adhere to same rules as other gunmakers in 2022.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
No formal fallacies detected. Some inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority present. Dichotomous depictions are absent.
]The Biden administration said police departments have faced an “explosion of crimes involving ghost guns” in recent years. In 2017, police submitted about 1,600 ghost guns for tracing. Four years later, the number had grown to more than 19,000.
Both sides – the administration and the manufacturers – asked the Supreme Court to take the case.
This story has been updated with additional information.
President Biden required companies selling ghost gun kits to adhere to same rules as other gunmakers in 2022.
Accuracy
The Supreme Court will decide if the Biden administration can regulate ‘ghost guns’ by requiring manufacturers to conduct background checks and mark their products with serial numbers.
Nearly 14,000 suspected ghost guns were recovered by law enforcement in five months last year.
Manufacturers are required to run background checks before selling unfinished parts of a firearm, like frames and receivers.
