The Supreme Court has ordered two internet sellers of gun parts to comply with a Biden administration regulation aimed at ghost guns, which are firearms that lack serial numbers, making them difficult to trace.
This decision comes after a federal judge in Texas exempted the two companies, Blackhawk Manufacturing Group and Defense Distributed, from having to abide by the regulation of ghost gun kits. The Supreme Court had previously intervened to keep the regulation in effect after it was invalidated by a lower court.
The Biden administration filed a request with the Supreme Court, stating that other makers of gun parts were also seeking similar court orders. The administration argued that without the regulation, untraceable ghost guns would remain readily available to anyone with a computer and a credit card, without the need for a background check.
The regulation changed the definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts, such as the frame of a handgun or the receiver of a long gun. These parts must now be licensed and include serial numbers. Manufacturers are also required to conduct background checks before a sale, similar to commercially made firearms.
The regulation applies to all types of ghost guns, whether they are made from individual parts, kits, or by using 3D printers.
While the administration appeals the judge’s ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the regulation will remain in effect.
