Web Desk
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration rule regulating ghost guns, reinforcing requirements for serial numbers, background checks, and age verification for online purchases.
Ghost guns, untraceable firearms without serial numbers, have surged in crime scenes across the U.S., jumping from fewer than 1,700 recovered in 2017 to over 27,000 in 2023, per Justice Department data.
However, since the regulation took effect, several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, have reported declines in ghost gun recoveries.
Additionally, manufacturing of miscellaneous gun parts dropped by 36%.
The 2022 rule, enacted under President Joe Biden, mandates that online firearm kits be treated as traditional guns—requiring serial numbers, background checks, and a minimum purchase age of 21.
These kits, sometimes assembled into working firearms in under 30 minutes, have been linked to multiple crimes, including a mass shooting in Philadelphia and the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in Manhattan.
Gun rights groups challenged the regulation in Garland v. VanDerStok, arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) overreached its authority.
They also contended that most firearm-related crimes involve traditional guns rather than ghost guns.
While the Supreme Court had allowed the rule to remain in effect during litigation, its latest decision cements the regulation as law.
The ruling contrasts with a previous Supreme Court decision that struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks.
