The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia and the Metropolitan Police Department, alleging that the city’s firearm registration practices block lawful registration and ownership of firearms.
The lawsuit argues that Washington, D.C., effectively bans AR-15-style rifles and other firearms protected under federal law by refusing to register them despite the Supreme Court precedent recognizing an individual right to possess commonly used firearms for lawful purposes.
Under D.C. law, residents must register firearms with Metropolitan Police, but the DOJ says the city maintains an overly restrictive process that prevents law-abiding citizens from legally owning protected firearms.
The department alleges the city’s practices have forced residents to seek relief through the courts and risk arrest for possessing firearms that are lawful under the Constitution.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the lawsuit reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to enforcing Second Amendment protections and added that residents of the nation’s capital should not be barred from exercising constitutional rights.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Civil Rights Division filed the case to ensure that rights recognized by the Supreme Court are enforced in practice and not undermined by illegal local administrative barriers.
