Supreme Court Refuses to Block Biden-era 'Ghost Guns' Regulation

The Supreme Court held Wednesday that federal firearms laws cover some so-called ghost guns by a 7-2 vote, rejecting the gun industry's petition to block the Biden-era rules with a categorical ruling. The court left open the possibility that not all kits would meet the criteria. The GCA, the Gun Control Act of 1968, reaches and permits ATF to regulate at least some partially complete frames or receivers, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. Gorsuch noted in his opinion that the way Americans think about guns has changed dramatically since 1968 when Congress approved the Gun Control Act. With the introduction of new technologies like 3D printing and reinforced polymers, that is no longer true, Gorsuch said. Today, companies are able to make and sell weapon parts kits that individuals can assemble into functional firearms in their own homes. Ghost guns are weapons that are assembled from kits that law enforcement says are becoming the go-to choice for armed criminals. The gun industry had challenged a 2022 federal regulation treating ghost guns like other firearms, subject to the same licensing, background checks, and serial number requirements. A federal appeals court in New Orleans previously set aside the regulation, saying that weapons kits weren't covered by the Gun Control Act of 1968.