Justice Department Sues Virginia Over Law Restricting Sale of AR-15-Style Rifles

July 2, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Virginia and the Virginia State Police, challenging a state law that restricts the commercial sale of AR-15-style rifles, arguing that the measure violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

The lawsuit targets a recently enacted Virginia law that makes the commercial purchase of AR-15-style rifles a criminal offence. The Justice Department argues that the firearms affected by the law are commonly owned by millions of Americans and are protected under the US Constitution.

“The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, adding that the department would continue defending constitutional protections for gun ownership.

The department’s Civil Rights Division said Virginia’s enforcement of the law represents an unconstitutional restriction on residents’ ability to purchase and sell firearms. It said the law prevents law-abiding citizens from exercising what it described as a protected constitutional right.

Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, said the department had previously warned Virginia officials that it would take legal action if the legislation was signed into law.

The AR-15 platform is among the most widely owned rifle types in the United States. The Justice Department’s Second Amendment Section, which handles enforcement of related constitutional claims, is leading the case.

Source: FSX Business News