News Wrap - September 26, 2025
In D.C., in the states, and in the courts
A number of gun-related tragedies over the past month have brought renewed focus on gun safety regulations, manifesting in both reconsideration of existing policies and pushback against them. Read on for the details.
Details about the seizures of guns during the federal occupation of Washington, D.C., remain obscured.
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has paused reports on the more than 320 gun confiscations made during the federal government’s month-long law enforcement operation in the capital.
According to The Reload, which filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for more information about the gun seizures, the MPD declined to produce the requested records.
A spokesperson said weekly roundups of guns confiscated will continue in the near future.
The Department of Justice is reportedly still exploring policy options to revoke gun ownership rights for transgender individuals.
Potential policies include classifying gender identity/“gender dysphoria” in a way that could trigger federal regulations related to mental health, though it’s not yet clear whether such a ban will go into effect or what it would look like if it does.
The outcome depends on discussions within the DOJ, combined with external political pressures, including from individual state governments, many of which have strong legal protections for transgender individuals that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.
If a ban does materialize, pro-2nd Amendment groups like the NRA could bring legal challenges on Constitutional grounds.
On a related note, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is revising its federal background check form.
The sex/gender designation section of the form prospective gun buyers must fill out when purchasing a gun will now be restricted to only “male” or “female” options.
The term “nonbinary” will be removed from the form.
This follows an executive order from Donald Trump aiming to limit government recognition of gender options beyond the male-female binary.
The DOJ is entering the legal fray over Illinois’ assault weapons ban—even though it isn’t a party in the case.
In January 2023, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that bans assault weapons in the state in response to the July 4th Highland Park mass shooting the year before. The law is now at the center of a Constitutional battle in the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
In an unusual move, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon showed up this week to defend what she described as a federal imperative to protect the 2nd Amendment from being treated as a “second-class right.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, Dhillon dismissed the argument that the banned firearms are primarily suited for military use rather than personal defense—a position that drew skepticism from Judge Frank Easterbrook. Stay tuned.
In the States
While Florida has made headlines by legalizing open carry statewide, Utah and Minnesota are divided over how to respond to recent tragedies carried out with firearms. And Pennsylvania is aiming to take proactive measures to protect its residents.
Utah: Utah’s recently enacted law (HB 128), which allows persons with concealed-carry permits to openly carry firearms on college campuses, is under scrutiny following the shooting of Charlie Kirk at a university event. Questions are being raised about safety, enforcement, and the law’s boundaries. —The Guardian
Minnesota: Lawmakers convened a Senate working group to discuss potential gun-control measures following the Annunciation School shooting, including assault weapons bans, closing the ghost gun loophole, safe storage laws, and binary trigger regulations. While the legislature won’t officially return until next spring, a special session may be called by Gov. Tim Walz to advance these proposals, a move most Minnesotans approve. The discussion included both support for stricter gun laws and arguments for maintaining gun access and eliminating gun-free zones. —KTTC
Pennsylvania: Democratic lawmakers in the state House are moving to tighten Pennsylvania’s firearm laws. The House Judiciary committee passed four bills on Monday. One would institute red flag laws, which allow law enforcement to temporarily seize people’s firearms if a judge rules them a likely danger to themself or others. The others would ban devices that convert semi-automatic guns to automatic fire, require background checks for long gun purchases, and ban weapons that can avoid magnetometer detection, like 3D printed “ghost guns.” —Penn Capital-Star
In the Courts
While two states have won their cases on gun safety regulations, the future of two other cases remains unclear.
New York: A federal appeals court has upheld certain parts of New York’s 2022 Concealed Carry Improvement Act, including bans on concealed or open carry of firearms in places like Times Square, subways, and commuter trains. The court found that such restrictions align with the U.S. tradition of regulating firearms in dense or “sensitive” public spaces. —AP News
New Jersey: Similarly, a federal appeals court upheld most of New Jersey’s 2022 law banning guns in “sensitive places” like parks, beaches, casinos, bars, arenas, and public transit, while striking down a few provisions such as the private-vehicle ban and mandatory liability insurance. The ruling emphasizes that the 2nd Amendment does not grant an unrestricted right to carry firearms everywhere and is grounded in historical regulation traditions. Gun-rights groups vow to continue challenging the law, which could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court. —New Jersey Monitor
Illinois: A Cook County judge has ruled that gunmaker Glock must face a Chicago lawsuit alleging it sells pistols that can be easily converted into illegal machine guns using inexpensive “Glock switches,” despite Glock’s claim of immunity under federal law. The city argues Glock violated consumer protection laws and seeks to stop sales and recover profits, citing over 1,300 modified pistols recovered in criminal cases. —Reuters
New Hampshire: New Hampshire is joined by 24 other states which are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Massachusetts’ refusal to honor out-of-state concealed carry permits. The case stems from a New Hampshire man’s arrest after crossing the state border with a licensed gun. Critics of Massachusetts’ position argue that it creates unfair risks for legal gun-holders in border areas like the Pheasant Lane Mall. Massachusetts’ top court upheld its law, and it is unclear whether the Supreme Court will take up the case. —NBC Boston
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