Federal judge rules Second Amendment protects gun rights for some illegal immigrants

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A federal judge in Illinois has discovered that the Constitution protects the gun rights of noncitizens who enter the United States illegally.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman on Friday dominated {that a} federal prohibition on illegal immigrants proudly owning firearms is unconstitutional as utilized to defendant Heriberto Carbajal-Flores. The courtroom discovered that whereas the federal ban is “facially constitutional,” there isn’t a historic custom of firearm regulation that allows the federal government to deprive a noncitizen who has by no means been convicted of a violent crime from exercising his Second Amendment rights.

“The noncitizen possession statute … violates the Second Amendment as applied to Carbajal-Flores,” the judge wrote. “Thus, the Court grants Carbajal-Flores’ motion to dismiss.”

Coleman, a President Obama appointee, cited the landmark Supreme Court choice in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), which established a brand new commonplace to find out whether or not a regulation violates the Second Amendment. Since Bruen, a mess of federal and state gun management measures have been challenged in courts with combined outcomes. 

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US Constitution and a gun with bullets

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” (iStock)

In this case, U.S. v. Carbajal-Flores, the courtroom thought of whether or not individuals who enter the nation illegally could be banned from proudly owning firearms.

Carbajal-Flores is an illegal immigrant who, on June 1, 2020, was discovered to be in possession of a handgun within the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. He was subsequently charged with violating a federal regulation that prohibits any noncitizen who isn’t legally licensed to be within the U.S. from “possess[ing] in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition; or to receive any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.” 

In an April 2022 choice, Coleman denied Carbajal-Flores’ first movement to dismiss his indictment, discovering that the ban was constitutional. However, Carbajal-Flores requested the courtroom to rethink that ruling following the Supreme Court’s choice in Bruen and appellate selections within the Third and Seventh Circuit that thought of whether or not individuals convicted of non-violent crimes could be prohibited from possessing firearms. 

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U.S. District Judge Sharon J. Coleman presents award to attorney Paula E. Litt

U.S. District Judge Sharon J. Coleman, left, presents an award for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service to lawyer Paula E. Litt, on May 1, 2019. (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division)

Upon assessment, Coleman concluded that Carbajal-Flores’ illegally current standing was not adequate to disclaim him Second Amendment rights. The judge mentioned the “plain text” of the Constitution “presumptively protects firearms possession by undocumented persons.” 

“Carbajal-Flores has never been convicted of a felony, a violent crime, or a crime involving the use of a weapon. Even in the present case, Carbajal-Flores contends that he received and used the handgun solely for self-protection and protection of property during a time of documented civil unrest in the Spring of 2020,” the judge wrote. “Additionally, Pretrial Service has confirmed that Carbajal-Flores has consistently adhered to and fulfilled all the stipulated conditions of his release, is gainfully employed, and has no new arrests or outstanding warrants.”

The courtroom decided that as a result of there may be inadequate proof to recommend Carbajal-Flores is a hazard to society, there isn’t a historic analogue that may allow the federal authorities to disclaim him his gun rights. 

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Gun store customer

A federal judge in Illinois has dominated that the Second Amendment protects the gun rights of illegal immigrants. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg by way of Getty Images)

“The Court finds that Carbajal-Flores’ criminal record, containing no improper use of a weapon, as well as the non-violent circumstances of his arrest do not support a finding that he poses a risk to public safety such that he cannot be trusted to use a weapon responsibly and should be deprived of his Second Amendment right to bear arms in self-defense,” Judge Coleman wrote. “Thus, this Court finds that, as applied to Carbajal-Flores, Section 922(g)(5) is unconstitutional.”

The ruling has divided gun rights activists, with some arguing that noncitizens mustn’t have rights protected by the Constitution.

Erich Pratt, senior vp of Gun Owners of America (GOA), informed Fox News Digital his group “has historically recognized the dangers unchecked illegal immigration presents, chiefly of which is a serious potential to swing the balance of power into the hands of anti-gun politicians.” 

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Pratt reiterated GOA doesn’t assist amnesty for illegal immigrants. 

“In this underlying ruling, the Second Amendment community undoubtedly has mixed feelings, because while illegal aliens are most certainly not part of ‘the People,’ everyone has a God-given right to defend themselves against violent acts like rape and murder,” he mentioned. 

“Of course, the courts wouldn’t have to decide this question if Joe Biden and the Democratic Party would simply secure our borders.”

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