Ban on selling handguns to young adults under 21 is unconstitutional, Justice Department says
The Office of Legal Counsel said the ban cannot be criminally enforced against licensed dealers and cited Supreme Court precedent and historical tradition.
- On Friday, September 18, 2026, the Justice Department released an opinion concluding that federal statutes prohibiting licensed dealers from selling handguns to adults aged 18 to 20 are unconstitutional and cannot be criminally enforced.
- The Office of Legal Counsel evaluated the Gun Control Act using the Second Amendment framework established by the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen, and Wolford v. Lopez.
- Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser wrote that 18-year-olds are fully part of "the people" covered by constitutional protections, citing early American laws requiring military service and weapon possession starting at age 18.
- Licensed gun dealers cannot face federal criminal prosecution for selling handguns and ammunition to law-abiding adults between the ages of 18 and 20, as the Justice Department determined these statutes violate the Second Amendment.
- The Justice Department clarified that these findings do not affect federal laws prohibiting handgun possession by minors under 18 or other federal background check provisions, maintaining existing regulations for younger individuals.
48 Articles
48 Articles
Trump DOJ Advisory Cites Supreme Court Precedent on Young Adults’ Handgun Rights
Internewscast Internewscast FILE – President Donald Trump gestures as though aiming a sniper rifle… This Post: Trump DOJ Advisory Cites Supreme Court Precedent on Young Adults’ Handgun Rights first appeared on Internewscast
DOJ Declares it Will No Longer Enforce Two Gun-Control Statutes That Are 'Inconsistent with the Second Amendment'
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department just opened fire on two federal laws that have infringed on gun rights for almost 60 years. In a news release Friday, the DOJ announced it […]
DOJ won't enforce handgun ban for 18- to 20-year-olds
The Justice Department said Friday it will not criminally enforce a 1968 federal law barring licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to 18- to 20-year-olds, after its Office of Legal Counsel concluded the restriction violated the Second Amendment.Why it matters: The Trump administration is telling federal prosecutors not to enforce a law passed by Congress, even though the Supreme Court has never ruled on its constitutionality.The decision co…
Associated Press News
Ban on selling handguns to young adults under 21 is unconstitutional, Justice Department says
The Justice Department says federal law banning licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns to young adults under age 21 is unconstitutional and can’t be enforced.
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