DOJ Moves to Challenge State Gun Laws Following SCOTUS Ruling

WHO:

ABC News - Virginia's Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, signed legislation earlier this year banning the sale and manufacture of certain semiautomatic firearms.

Fox News - The Justice Department (DOJ) is involved in the lawsuits.

ABC News - The Trump administration is suing California and Virginia.

CNN - Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is leading the DOJ's actions.

WHAT:

ABC News - Virginia's law, which took effect, is facing at least four other lawsuits challenging its constitutionality.

ABC News - The California law prohibits gun shops from selling certain handguns that can easily be made fully automatic.

ABC News - Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, "The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right," in a news release announcing the lawsuit against Virginia.

CNN - The DOJ announced a legal challenge to Virginia’s ban on assault weapons that seeks to overturn US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals precedent upholding that type of firearms prohibition.

Los Angeles Times - The DOJ's lawsuit references that federal authorities recovered 11,088 conversion devices from crime scenes between 2019 and 2023.

Los Angeles Times - The DOJ's complaint argues that California cannot ban legal semiautomatic handguns simply because they could be illegally altered, as existing laws already prohibit such alterations.

Los Angeles Times - The new California law does not prohibit the possession of affected handguns already owned by Californians and includes exemptions for gun dealers, law enforcement, and military agencies.

Los Angeles Times - The lawsuit also challenges California’s decades-old handgun roster, which requires new handgun models to pass certain safety tests before they can be approved for retail sale.

Los Angeles Times - A federal judge tentatively blocked portions of the roster requirements in a separate 2023 case, which is being appealed before the 9th Circuit.

Los Angeles Times - The DOJ is seeking a court order to block California's new "Glock ban" law, which limits where most Glock and Glock-style pistols can be sold.

Los Angeles Times - The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California aims to invalidate key parts of California's handgun roster, which dictates the types of firearms that can be legally purchased in the state.

Los Angeles Times - The DOJ's lawsuit references that federal authorities recovered 11,088 conversion devices from crime scenes between 2019 and 2023.

Los Angeles Times - California's Assembly Bill 1127 was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in October.

Fox News - The Justice Department's lawsuits specifically target California's ban on Glock pistols and Virginia's ban on assault weapons.

CNN - Todd Blanche stated, “But … it shouldn’t take this Department of Justice telling a state they’re violating the Constitution when the Supreme Court told them they were,” emphasizing the DOJ's stance on state gun laws.

CNN - The DOJ announced a legal challenge to Virginia’s ban on assault weapons that seeks to overturn US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals precedent upholding that type of firearms prohibition.

IJR - The DOJ filed a lawsuit against California’s ban on Glock pistols the day it was slated to take effect.

Fox News - The DOJ has filed lawsuits against California and Virginia over state gun restrictions.

ABC News - The lawsuits target new laws that restrict the sale of semiautomatic firearms.

CNN - The DOJ announced a legal challenge to Virginia’s ban on assault weapons and a separate lawsuit against California for its ban on semiautomatic machinegun convertible pistols.

WHERE:

Fox News - The lawsuits are against the states of California and Virginia.

CNN - The Hawaii law that was struck down is referenced in the context of similar laws in New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and California.

WHEN:

ABC News - Arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court regarding bans on semiautomatic rifles are expected in the fall.

Newsweek - The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear another key Second Amendment case on assault weapons in its next term.

CNN - The Supreme Court is set to hear a case next term regarding the constitutionality of assault weapon bans.

WHY:

ABC News - Spanberger's office defended the law, stating that firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong in communities, near kids and schools, or on Virginia's streets.

CNN - The Trump administration is prioritizing challenges to firearm regulations, asserting that states are violating the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court.

HOW:

CNN - Todd Blanche stated, “If we have to sue them, of course, we will, and they should be sued,” indicating the DOJ's readiness to take legal action against states with restrictive gun laws.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 19:22 UTC)

Virginia's Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, recently signed legislation banning the sale and manufacture of certain semiautomatic firearms, a law that is now facing at least four lawsuits challenging its constitutionality. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the importance of the Second Amendment, stating, "The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right," in response to the law. Meanwhile, arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court regarding bans on semiautomatic rifles are expected to take place in the fall.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 17:29 UTC)

The Department of Justice has announced a legal challenge to Virginia’s ban on assault weapons, aiming to overturn a precedent set by the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that supports such firearm prohibitions. The lawsuit highlights that federal authorities recovered over eleven thousand conversion devices from crime scenes between 2019 and 2023, and it argues that California cannot ban legal semiautomatic handguns simply because they could be altered illegally, as existing laws already address those alterations. Additionally, the complaint takes issue with California’s handgun roster, which mandates safety tests for new models before they can be sold, and follows a recent case where a federal judge tentatively blocked parts of these requirements, a decision currently under appeal before the 9th Circuit.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 08:03 UTC)

The Department of Justice is seeking a court order to block California's new "Glock ban" law, which restricts where most Glock and Glock-style pistols can be sold. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, aims to invalidate key parts of the state's handgun roster, arguing that California cannot ban legal semiautomatic handguns simply because they could be illegally altered. While the new law does not prohibit the possession of affected handguns already owned by Californians, it does include exemptions for gun dealers, law enforcement, and military agencies.

(UPDATED July 2, 2026 01:39 UTC)

The Justice Department has filed lawsuits challenging California's ban on Glock pistols and Virginia's ban on assault weapons. Todd Blanche emphasized that it shouldn't require the Department of Justice to inform states they are violating the Constitution, especially after the Supreme Court has already addressed these issues. Looking ahead, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a significant Second Amendment case concerning assault weapons in its next term.

(UPDATED July 1, 2026 23:22 UTC)

The Supreme Court is preparing to hear a case next term that will address the constitutionality of assault weapon bans. In a related move, the Department of Justice has announced a legal challenge to Virginia’s ban on assault weapons, aiming to overturn a precedent set by the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that supports such prohibitions. Additionally, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against California’s ban on Glock pistols on the very day it was scheduled to take effect.

(UPDATED July 1, 2026 21:25 UTC)

The Justice Department is taking legal action against California and Virginia, filing lawsuits over state gun restrictions that target new laws limiting the sale of semiautomatic firearms. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is leading these efforts, which include a challenge to Virginia’s ban on assault weapons and a separate lawsuit against California regarding its ban on semiautomatic machinegun convertible pistols. The Supreme Court is expected to hear a case next term concerning the constitutionality of assault weapon bans, as the Trump administration argues that these state laws violate the Constitution as interpreted by the Court.