Second Amendment stories

Aug 13, 2026

Justice Department declines to appeal Texas ruling deregulating silencers and short-barreled firearms

The Justice Department has not appealed a Texas court ruling that struck down parts of the 1934 National Firearms Act, allowing Americans to possess silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns without federal registration. The decision has left gun control groups concerned while Second Amendment advocates celebrated the development.

Aug 13, 20264 sources

Aug 5, 2026

Federal Judge Rules National Firearms Act Registration Requirements Unconstitutional After Tax Reduction

A federal judge in Texas ruled that registration and approval requirements for firearm suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns under the National Firearms Act are unconstitutional, following a July 2025 tax reduction to $0 that undermined the law's original tax-based justification from 1934.

Aug 5, 20266 sources

Jul 17, 2026

Third Circuit declares New Jersey assault weapons ban unconstitutional

A federal appeals court ruled that New Jersey's law barring possession of semiautomatic rifles like AR-15s and large capacity magazines violates the Second Amendment.

Jul 17, 20261 source

Jun 18, 2026

Supreme Court Rules Federal Ban on Gun Ownership for Marijuana Users Unconstitutional

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that federal law prohibiting marijuana users from possessing firearms violates the Second Amendment, in the case United States v. Hemani involving a Texas man.

Jun 18, 20268 sources

Top claims

▪The National Firearms Act of 1934 historically required individuals to register specialized firearms, short-barreled rifles, and silencers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
▪Roughly four dozen Republican lawmakers, led by Representative Andrew Clyde, sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche on August 11, 2026, urging him to decline an appeal.
▪The deregulation resulting from the Texas court injunction allows covered individuals to possess short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and silencers without registering them with the federal government.

Subtopics

Constitutional law3 Federal court rulings2 5th Circuit Court of Appeals1 Criminal justice reform1 Tax policy1 Texas1 United States v. Hemani1

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