The ban on commercial pistol sales to 18-to-20-year-olds will likely go unenforced in parts of the country following a Trump Administration decision not to further pursue one case against it.
On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) quietly allowed a deadline to file an appeal with the Supreme Court in the case Reese v. ATF to pass. As a result, a unanimous January decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals–which covers Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana–will stand. The panel held that a combination of federal statutes banning licensed firearm dealers from selling pistols to young adults violates the Second Amendment.
Adam Kraut, executive director of the gun-rights organization the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), a party to the lawsuit, confirmed the move in a statement to The Reload.
“While it is unclear whether the government’s decision to decline seeking review at the Supreme Court marks a formal shift in its position on the issue, it is an encouraging development,” Kraut said. “We look forward to finalizing an injunction that will vindicate the rights of 18-20-year-old SAF members nationwide in this matter.”
The move marks the second time this year that the Trump administration has opted to allow a significant