A federal judge in Illinois has nullified the state’s ban on semi-automatic firearms, declaring it incompatible with the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. Judge Stephen McGlynn’s ruling came after a non-jury trial, with the judge stating that Illinois’ restrictions conflict with “the nation’s history and tradition of firearm regulations,” a standard shaped by the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in 2022.
The ruling arrives as a response to legal challenges spearheaded by the Firearms Policy Coalition and other pro-gun groups, who argue that the ban infringes on Illinois residents’ fundamental rights. “We are pleased that the court acknowledged the constitutional protections for gun ownership,” remarked Coalition President Brandon Combs. However, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has signaled the state’s intent to appeal, defending the ban as essential to reducing gun violence in communities statewide.
Illinois’ controversial law, passed in the wake of a 2022 mass shooting at Highland Park’s Fourth of July parade, prohibits the sale and distribution of high-powered semi-automatic firearms such as AK-47s and AR-15s, along with large-capacity magazines. While Judge McGlynn previously blocked the law temporarily in early 2023, that pause was reversed on appeal, and the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
In his recent decision, Judge McGlynn argued that the law would undermine civilians’ ability to defend themselves, asserting that restricting firearms would leave law-abiding citizens vulnerable. “To limit civilians’ choice of arms would tip the scale in favor of aggressors,” he wrote.
This case is one among several ongoing legal skirmishes that test the boundaries of firearm regulation, a contentious arena since the Supreme Court’s 2022 expansion of gun rights. With outcomes varying across states, the national debate on the limits of gun control remains fierce and unsettled.
