The Department of Justice (DOJ) announces plans to establish a process for individuals with criminal convictions to restore their gun rights, generating widespread concern about the implications for public safety. The interim rule follows an executive order from President Trump aimed at reevaluating gun restrictions and comes after a long-standing congressional block on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms’ (ATF) ability to manage such restorations since 1992.
Critics, including gun safety organizations, warn that this policy could facilitate access to firearms for those with histories of violent crime, potentially endangering communities. Conversely, advocates for gun rights argue the rule corrects decades of what they see as unjust limitations on law-abiding citizens. This shift might be illustrated by the DOJ’s recent move to restore gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, who had lost his rights due to a 2011 misdemeanor conviction.
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