The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) established a dedicated Second Amendment Section within its Civil Rights Division in late 2025, marking the first federal office specifically for investigating and challenging alleged infringements on Second Amendment rights at the state and local levels, focusing on unlawful delays or denials of permits, and aiming to protect gun rights through litigation and amicus briefs. This initiative, driven by President Trump’s executive order, is led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon and seeks to ensure Second Amendment rights aren’t treated as “second-class rights”.
The mission of the 2nd Amendment Section is to ensure that law-abiding American citizens may responsibly possess, carry, and use firearms. The 2nd Amendment Section will work diligently to investigate law enforcement agencies that engage in a pattern or practice of infringing on law-abiding citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights, as well as be proactive in searching for litigation opportunities to secure such rights. The 2nd Amendment Section will also seek opportunities to advance a broad interpretation of the 2nd Amendment via statements of interest, motions to intervene, amicus briefs, and original lawsuits where applicable on behalf of Americans across the country. All attorneys within the 2nd Amendment Section will advocate with zeal on behalf of the United States of America in furtherance of all objectives as tasked.
Key Functions & Activities:
- Investigating Infringements: Probes patterns of unlawful practices by law enforcement that deny lawful gun ownership.
- Affirmative Litigation: Files lawsuits (like against the Virgin Islands and D.C.) to challenge unconstitutional gun policies.
- Amicus Briefs: Submits “statements of interest” in ongoing court cases to support Second Amendment interpretations.
- Policy Review: Assesses federal actions infringing on gun rights as directed by executive order.
How to Interact with the Section:
- Report Violations: Citizens can report alleged infringements through the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division website.
- Access Information: Find press releases and details on their official DOJ page.
Context:
- This move reflects a significant shift in federal focus, prioritizing gun rights as civil rights under the Trump Administration.
- The section aims to provide a federal avenue for gun owners to challenge state and local restrictions.
