The Supreme Court is set to hear a challenge to a Biden administration regulation regarding ghost guns, which are untraceable weapons with a growing connection to crime in recent years.
The regulation targets gun kits sold online that can be assembled into functioning weapons in under 30 minutes. These weapons lack serial numbers, making them extremely difficult to trace. Law enforcement data shows a significant increase in the number of ghost guns recovered, from fewer than 4,000 in 2018 to nearly 20,000 in 2021, leading to the implementation of this rule.
Following an executive action by President Joe Biden, the regulation mandates companies to treat these kits like firearms by including serial numbers, conducting background checks, and ensuring buyers are at least 21 years old. As a result, the number of ghost guns seized has stabilised or decreased in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.
However, manufacturers and gun rights groups have challenged the rule in court, arguing that selling gun parts to hobbyists has long been legal and most crimes involve traditional firearms. They claim that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives exceeded its authority.
On the other hand, the administration asserts that the government has the power to regulate weapons that can easily be converted to fire. The Supreme Court previously upheld the regulation in a 5-4 vote, permitting its enforcement. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s liberal members to form the majority.
The debate surrounding ghost guns and their regulation is a crucial issue that will be deliberated on by the highest court in the land, highlighting the ongoing tensions between gun control measures and Second Amendment rights in the United States.