Brady Responds to Supreme Court Oral Arguments in Garland v. VanDerStok; Indications that Justices Will Uphold Biden-Harris’s Ghost Gun Regulation

The Supreme Court must now decide if it will uphold the Biden-Harris administration rule that regulates ghost guns.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Garland v. VanDerStok. This is an essential case that will decide if the decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to strike down the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2022 life-saving ghost gun rule will stand.

Ghost guns are unserialized, untraceable firearms that can be easily put together in minutes from parts acquired without a background check. They are often sold through "ghost gun kits," which include all of the parts and often the equipment necessary to build these weapons at home. These kits are widely available and can be purchased by anyone, including prohibited purchasers, minors, domestic abusers, and gun traffickers — without a background check.

“For too long, the ghost gun industry has hidden behind the guise of supporting hobbyists, when we know in fact that their products are the weapon of choice for criminals,” said Douglas Letter, Chief Legal Officer at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “The Biden-Harris administration’s rule is saving lives by regulating an industry that has flooded our streets with unserialized, untraceable weapons that evade common-sense gun regulations like Brady Background Checks. The Supreme Court Justices appear to recognize that halting the flow of these kits is paramount to our safety, and look ready to call the gun industry out on its laughable claim that these kits aren’t a major threat, making today’s oral argument a promising start in a case that will have drastic implications for the safety of our families and communities.”