A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked a new rule from the Biden administration that would require gun dealers to conduct background checks and secure licenses when selling firearms at shows and other venues outside traditional gun stores. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s order, which will remain in effect until June 2, covers Texas and members of gun rights groups, including the Gun Owners of America. Kacsmaryk cited the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act as being contradictory to the new rule, stating that it does not provide a safe harbor for the majority of gun owners.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton expressed relief over the restraining order, stating that the Biden Administration cannot overturn Americans’ constitutional rights and nullify the Second Amendment. Paxton’s office criticized the administration’s new regulation, arguing that it would subject law-abiding gun owners to presumptions of criminal guilt for engaging in constitutionally protected activities. President Biden has defended the rule, stating that it will help keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and felons, and save lives by requiring more gun sellers to conduct background checks.
The Biden administration predicts that the rule will impact around 20,000 firearms dealers, in addition to the 80,000 federally-registered dealers who were already conducting background checks. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Director Steve Dettelbach has stated that the rule does not infringe on anyone’s Second Amendment rights and will not negatively impact law-abiding licensed firearms dealers who are already following the rules. Several states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Utah, have not been granted relief from the new rule at this stage of litigation.
Overall, the new rule from the Biden administration requiring more gun sellers to run background checks has been met with criticism from gun rights groups and some states. The temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge in Texas has halted the implementation of the rule until June 2, citing contradictions with existing laws. The Biden administration maintains that the rule will help save lives by keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. The debate around gun control continues to be a contentious issue in the United States, with different groups and individuals expressing conflicting views on the matter.
