Latest news with #FRTs
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass. AG Campbell sues Trump admin over plan to distribute machine gun conversion tech
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell is taking the Trump administration to court — again. This time over a plan to distribute thousands of machinegun conversion devices to communities across the United States. The suit, filed by Campbell and 16 state attorneys general nationwide, specifically targets the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. In a statement, Campbell's office said the ATF's action involves so-called 'Forced Reset Triggers,' which allow shooters to reach the firepower of a military-grade machine gun. The federal agency previously had classified the devices as machine guns, keeping them off the streets and out of the hands of gun owners. However, the ATF, under a directive from the White House, signed a settlement agreement that would stop enforcing federal law against the FRTs, as they're known, and would redistribute thousands of the devices the agency had previously seized. The multistate litigation seeks to prevent that imminent redistribution, because FRTs are illegal to possess under federal law, Campbell's office said. 'Weapons of war and tools of mass destruction like FRTs have no place or purpose in everyday society—nor in any home, community, or school within the Commonwealth,' Campbell said in a statement. Read More: This $150 device turns pistols into machine guns. Here's why Mass. should worry 'The ATF's actions are a direct assault on every American's inalienable right to feel safe in their homes, schools, and grocery stores—free from the fear or threat of gun violence. I will continue to defend enforcement against FRTs and fight to protect the safety and well-being of Commonwealth residents.' The lawsuit argues that the federal government cannot violate U.S. law, even when it tries to bury those violations in a settlement agreement. Campbell and the other state attorneys general are seeking a a preliminary injunction to halt the Trump Administration from distributing the devices 'in ways that directly harm plaintiff states in contravention of federal law,' they argued. Machine gun conversion devices such as the FRTs have been frequently used in violent crimes and mass shootings, Campbell's office said, contributing to worsening gun violence. Firearms equipped with the conversion devices can exceed the firing rate of many military machine guns, firing up to 20 bullets per second. The ATF has noted a 'significant' rise in the use of the devices, leading to a 1,400% increase between 2019 and 2021, Campbell's office said. The ATF has classified devices that act similarly to FRTs as machine guns since at least 1975, which means they've been banned under federal law. Even so, the ATF has estimated that at least 100,000 FRTs have been distributed across the country. And they have been showing up more often at crime scenes, Campbell's office said. Last month, the Trump administration announced that it had settled Biden-era litigation dealing with the devices, doing so in a way that 'eviscerates' the existing prohibition in federal law, Campbell's office said. In addition to Massachusetts, attorneys general from Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington State, also are participating in the litigation. Mass. labor groups rally against ICE arrest of California union leader Here are 10 NASA missions that could be grounded under Trump's 2026 budget 'I don't know if I want to do this anymore': leaked audio highlights turmoil among Dems Graffiti on tank in Trump's parade calls for hanging 2 well-known Americans 'I would': Trump calls for arrest of California's Newsom amid lawsuit over National Guard in LA Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Delaware leading lawsuit against Trump administration over gun trigger settlement
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings is co-leading a group of state attorneys general suing the Trump administration for a settlement last month that permits "machine gun conversion devices" for semiautomatic rifles − and the administration's plan to return all previously-seized devices to their owners. The lawsuit stems from the Trump administration's May 13 settlement, which resolved lawsuits brought during the Biden administration. Those suits challenged President Joe Biden's ban on certain "forced-reset triggers." Forced-reset triggers are aftermarket devices used in semi-automatic firearms that mechanically reset the trigger after each shot. They're sometimes called machine gun conversion devices because they allow semiautomatic weapons to shoot as fast as machine guns. They do not, however, convert semi-automatic guns to fully automatic weapons. According to the Delaware Department of Justice, the lawsuit, filed in Maryland, argues that forced-reset triggers are illegal under federal law. "Although ATF previously classified FRTs as machine guns, the agency – under directive from Trump Administration leadership – signed a settlement agreement that promised to stop enforcing federal law against FRTs and redistribute thousands of FRTs that ATF had previously seized," a June 9 news release from the state justice department said. Jennings said the Trump administration's settlement seeks "to reintroduce weapons of war to our communities." The Delaware DOJ said machine gun conversion devices like forced-reset triggers allow firearms "to exceed the rate of fire of many military machine guns, firing up to 20 bullets in one second." In 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives notified firearms licensees that it had determined some forced-reset triggers constituted illegal machine guns under the National Firearms Act, Reuters reported last month. This was because constant finger pressure on the trigger would keep a rifle firing, essentially creating an illegal machine gun, the Biden administration argued. A year later, the federal Department of Justice sued a company that made and distributed such devices nationwide, Rare Breed Triggers. A New York judge ultimately blocked the company from selling the devices. While the New York case was pending, however, the National Association for Gun Rights filed a lawsuit in Texas challenging the Biden-era ban, leading a judge to conclude the ban was unlawful and barring its enforcement. The Trump administration's settlement resolved those lawsuits, which were on appeal, with an agreement to return all forced-reset triggers seized or surrendered to the government to their owners. The Trump administration agreed to not apply the machine gun ban to such devices so long as they are not designed for use with handguns. It's not clear how many, if any, forced-reset triggers were seized from Delaware residents during the Biden administration ban or how many would be returned under the Trump settlement. Nate Raymond with Reuters contributed to this report. Got a tip? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@ For all things breaking news, follow her on Twitter at @izzihughes_ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware sues Trump administration over gun trigger settlement
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nevada sues Trump administration over machine gun conversion devices
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada is now part of a multi-state federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, in particular the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, over plans to distribute machine gun conversion devices across the United States. The ATF's action involves Forced Reset Triggers, which allow a gun to maintain continuous fire after one trigger pull. 'These devices, which allow normal guns to fire at a rate that exceeds many military-grade automatic weapons, have no legitimate use in our society,' Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford said. As part of a settlement due to multiple lawsuits over the Biden-era regulation on the triggers, the ATF will return thousands of seized triggers to their owners. The Trump administration said the settlement eviscerates the federal FRT prohibition. 'The ATF has noted a significant rise in the use of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), leading to increasing incidents of machine-gun fire — up 1,400% from 2019 through 2021,' Ford's news release said. Sixteen states, including Nevada, are seeking to prevent the redistribution, arguing that federal gun laws prohibit the distribution and possession of FRTs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington sues to stop federal plan to distribute thousands of machinegun conversion devices
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown joined a coalition of 16 states and the District of Columbia in filing a federal lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over a plan to distribute thousands of machinegun conversion devices across the U.S. The lawsuit targets the federal government's decision to stop enforcing restrictions on forced reset triggers (FRTs), devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machineguns, and to return nearly 12,000 previously seized devices. The devices are federally classified as machineguns under the National Firearms Act. 'Communities are less safe with these mass-shooting devices in circulation,' Brown said in a statement. 'Essentially deregulating them is another example of this administration being driven by extreme ideology rather than commonsense.' FRTs are illegal under federal law and in many states, including Washington. They are designed to replace the standard trigger in firearms and allow continuous fire with a single pull, mimicking the function of fully automatic weapons. Firearms equipped with FRTs can discharge up to 20 rounds per second, according to the lawsuit. ATF had previously classified FRTs as machineguns and conducted seizures across the country. But the agency reversed course following a settlement agreement signed under the Trump administration on May 16, which resolved multiple lawsuits, including one in Texas where a judge ruled the devices did not meet the federal definition of a machinegun. That ruling is currently under appeal. The agreement commits ATF to stop enforcing the federal ban on FRTs—even against people and companies not party to the lawsuits—and to return the devices 'to the extent practicable' to any individual or company who had them seized. Attorneys general argue the move not only violates federal law but also risks 'a permanent threat to public safety,' particularly in states where FRTs are explicitly banned. The complaint alleges that redistributing these devices will increase violent crime, mass shooting incidents, and public health costs. According to the complaint, FRT-equipped firearms have already been linked to several shootings across the country, including in New Jersey and Maryland. From 2019 to 2021, incidents involving machinegun fire rose 1,400%, according to ATF data. The agency has also reported an increase in the use of these devices in violent crimes, including homicide and assaults. The coalition is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the ATF from moving forward with the redistribution plan. It also asks the court to declare the agreement unlawful and set it aside. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Other states joining the suit include New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Colorado, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Device that makes semi-automatic rifles fire quicker allowed by Trump administration
President Donald Trump's administration agreed on Friday to permit the sale of a device that allows for semi-automatic rifles to be fired quicker, a decision that gun control activists say paves the way for more mass shootings. The Department of Justice announced the agreement as part of a settlement between the federal government and gun manufacturer Rare Breed Triggers, in litigation brought by the Biden administration. 'This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,' Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in the statement. 'And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.' Forced-reset triggers (FRT) allow a semi-automatic rifle to be fired at an increased rate by automatically resetting the trigger after each shot. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) classified them as illegal machine guns in 2022 under the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934. Machine guns have been heavily regulated by Congress since the NFA was passed, and the manufacture for civilian use was banned completely under the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986, a bill endorsed by the National Rifle Association. The Justice Department brought a lawsuit in New York in 2023 against Rare Breed Triggers, which made and distributed such devices, leading to a court ruling blocking it from selling them. While the case was pending, the National Association of Gun Rights (NAGR) filed a separate lawsuit in Texas challenging the ban and a judge there ruled the ban was unlawful. The latest settlement resolves those disputes and falls in line with Trump's February executive order on protecting the Second Amendment's 'right to bear arms,' the Justice Department said in its statement. 'This decision marks a new era of holding the DOJ and ATF accountable when they trample the rights of law-abiding gun owners,' NAGR President Dudley Brown said in a release. 'We made them give back what they took, and that's a precedent they'll never forget.' The DOJ also said the settlement includes 'agreed-upon conditions' concerning public safety with respect to FRTs, including that Rare Breed will not develop or design FRTs for use in any pistol and will enforce its patents. Rare Breed also agreed to promote the safe and responsible use of its products, the DOJ said. CNN has reached out to Rare Breed Triggers for comment on the settlement. Democratic lawmakers and gun control groups have widely condemned the decision. Vanessa Gonzalez, a Vice President with GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention group led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, said in a statement the Trump administration 'effectively legalized machine guns.' 'This is an incredibly dangerous move that will enable shooters to inflict horrific damage,' Gonzalez said. 'The only people who benefit from these being on the market are the people who will make money from selling them, everyone else will suffer the consequences.' The national gun control advocacy group, Brady United, said the settlement means 'highly dangerous weapons of war can now be purchased anonymously' and without a background check. 'The Trump's Administration's secret settlement with the gun lobby to permit the sale of Forced Reset Triggers will turn already deadly firearms into weapons of mass destruction,' President of Brady, Kris Brown, said in the statement. '(It) is not only an astonishing abuse of power, but undermines decades of sensible government gun safety policy and puts whole communities at immediate serious risk.'
