NRA Opposes DOJ Proposal to Ban Transgender Americans From Owning Firearms

Lead: The National Rifle Association on September 6 rejected the Justice Department’s reported plan to bar transgender individuals from firearm possession, pledging to defend Second Amendment rights.

Nut Graf: Amid internal DOJ discussions prompted by last month’s mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school, the NRA’s swift condemnation highlights its broader effort to block any sweeping gun‐control measures it deems unconstitutional.

DOJ Internal Discussions The Justice Department has been considering classifying transgender people as mentally ill to revoke their gun‐ownership rights following the August 27 school shooting in Minneapolis, which claimed two lives and injured 17 others.

NRA Statement In a post on X, the NRA declared: “The Second Amendment isn’t up for debate. We oppose any policy that unjustly strips law‐abiding Americans of their rights”. The organization vowed to challenge any regulation that broadly restricts firearm access.

Broader Backlash Civil rights groups and gun‐rights advocates have criticized the proposal as overly broad. Data indicate no link between transgender status and increased crime risk, and advocates warn such a ban would infringe on due process and equal‐protection principles.

Historical Context The NRA has a track record of opposing expansive gun restrictions, including efforts to regulate bump stocks after the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, and it recently defended its First Amendment rights in NRA v. Vullo, in which the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against New York regulators who tried to blacklist the association.

What’s Next While no formal regulation is imminent, DOJ officials are continuing internal debates. The NRA and allied organizations are preparing legal and legislative challenges to ensure that any new rulefaces judicial review and congressional scrutiny.