Kathrine Frich
The original rules trace back to the National Firearms Act of 1934.
Laws that have governed society for decades usually end with a massive public debate and a formal vote.
Sometimes, though, a major rule simply fades away in the middle of the night.
A historic set of American restrictions has just met that quiet fate.
Midnight deadline
The United States Justice Department opted against appealing a major court ruling on Thursday. By letting a midnight deadline pass, federal officials effectively dismantled strict regulations on owning short-barreled guns and weapon suppressors.
These original rules trace back to the National Firearms Act of 1934. That Prohibition-era legislation set rigid limits on easily concealable firearms.
Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas recently struck down the mandated permitting process. He declared the old system unconstitutional.
He gave the federal government until 12:01 a.m. on Thursday to pause the order. The New York Times reported that public court records show the administration let the deadline expire without acting.
A step back
This inaction allowed a pillar of American gun control to lapse. It marks a significant shift for the government.
Just last year, President Donald Trump signed legislation that eliminated a $200 fee required for the permit. Even after that, the administration maintained that Congress still possessed the power to restrict highly dangerous weapons.
Now, the Justice Department has completely stepped aside. Gun rights advocates and firearms businesses celebrated the sudden deregulation.
Meanwhile, groups pushing for tighter gun control strongly criticized the decision. They pointed out that these concealable accessories had been heavily restricted for almost a century.
Political pressure
The government declined to offer a detailed explanation for why it ignored the immediate deadline.
However, the move followed intense public pressure. Gun rights groups and dozens of Republican lawmakers had heavily urged Attorney General Todd Blanche to leave the judge’s ruling alone.
Hours before the cutoff, the Justice Department released a brief, unsigned statement directly to The New York Times.
The department said it “respects Americans’ Second Amendment rights and is currently assessing the impact of the court’s ruling.”
Future options
This quiet retreat fundamentally alters the American firearms market. Suppressors have surged in popularity recently, shifting from a niche item to a highly desired accessory.
The legal fight might not be completely over. Federal officials technically have another 52 days to submit a formal challenge in the case.
For now, the old permitting process is dead. Decades of strict federal oversight vanished overnight.
Sources: The New York Times
