Today's News: Supreme Court Upholds Biden-Era Ghost Gun Regulations
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld federal regulations that classify ghost gun kits as firearms, which must now include serial numbers, require background checks, and be sold by licensed dealers.
Photo: Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post
Overview
Date: March 26, 2025
Topic: Supreme Court Upholds Biden-Era Ghost Gun Regulations
Summary: In a 7-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld federal regulations introduced under the Biden administration that classify ghost gun kits as firearms under the 1968 Gun Control Act. These kits, which allow buyers to assemble untraceable firearms at home, must now include serial numbers, require background checks, and be sold by licensed dealers. The majority opinion, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch and joined by both conservative and liberal justices, emphasized that modern gun manufacturing methods have outpaced existing legal definitions. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, arguing the regulation exceeds the law's statutory bounds. The decision is a rare victory for gun control advocates and marks a significant moment of bipartisan agreement on regulating untraceable weapons.
Sources
The New York Times: Supreme Court Upholds Biden Administration’s Limits on ‘Ghost Guns’
CNN: Supreme Court upholds rules requiring background checks for ‘ghost guns’
NBC News: Supreme Court upholds Biden regulations on 'ghost gun' kits
Fox News: Supreme Court upholds Biden admin 'ghost gun' regulation
The Washington Post: Supreme Court allows Biden-era regulations for hard-to-trace ghost guns
The Wall Street Journal: Supreme Court Upholds Regulation of ‘Ghost Guns’
Key Points
The Court ruled that ghost gun kits—containing all parts needed to make a functional firearm—can be regulated under the Gun Control Act.
The 2022 ATF rule requires serial numbers, background checks, and dealer licenses for kits.
Justice Gorsuch’s majority opinion emphasized the obvious intended function of the kits as firearms.
The decision is not based on Second Amendment grounds but statutory interpretation.
The ruling has bipartisan support, with both conservative and liberal justices in the majority.
Law enforcement data showing a dramatic rise in ghost gun use at crime scenes bolstered the regulatory rationale.
The Court acknowledged that some more complex or incomplete kits may fall outside regulation.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times noted the rare inclusion of photographs in the Court’s opinion and Justice Gorsuch’s analogy to unfinished IKEA furniture to explain the ruling.
CNN highlighted the dramatic rise in ghost gun recoveries—from 1,600 in 2017 to over 19,000 in 2021.
NBC News reported that the rule had remained in effect since 2022, due to earlier Supreme Court refusals to block it.
Fox News detailed how the ATF's rule was prompted by technology like 3D printing and polymer-based components.
The Washington Post emphasized the connection between the regulation and a surge in violent crimes involving ghost guns.
The Wall Street Journal underscored the shift in stance by Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, who had previously dissented from maintaining the rule during litigation.
Contrasting Details
Justice Thomas’s dissent argued that the law does not permit regulation of incomplete parts or objects “readily convertible” into weapons unless already classified as firearms—a point accepted by Alito as well but rejected by the majority.
While CNN and The Washington Post described the decision as a departure from the Court’s recent conservative rulings on guns, Fox News and The Wall Street Journal framed it more as a statutory interpretation with narrow implications.
The New York Times and NBC News stressed Chief Justice Roberts’ and Justice Barrett’s skepticism during oral arguments, suggesting early cracks in the conservative bloc.
Fox News and The Wall Street Journal emphasized potential future Trump administration efforts to repeal the rule, which other outlets mentioned less directly.
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