The Department of Justice is reportedly considering a significant alteration to federal firearms purchase paperwork that would mandate applicants to disclose their biological sex at birth, according to a report from the Washington Post. This proposed change would modify the existing form, which currently asks individuals to list their sex.
A Controversial Proposal Under Bondi's Leadership
This potential policy shift represents the latest contentious move from the agency under Attorney General Pam Bondi's stewardship. Throughout her tenure, Bondi has faced criticism from lawmakers and gun rights organisations spanning the political spectrum. Notably, the National Rifle Association even opposed a previously leaked DOJ proposal that sought to bar transgender individuals from owning firearms when it was first reported.
Internal Dynamics and Civil Rights Division Changes
Sources familiar with the Department of Justice's leadership suggested at the time that the earlier proposal may have originated from lower-level staffers rather than top officials, with one source characterising it as 'not realistic.' In a separate development, Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, established a new Second Amendment section within her division, which was announced in December.
The Washington Post reported that Dhillon has not yet hired lawyers with specific Second Amendment expertise for this new section. This move has drawn criticism from Senators Peter Welch and Dick Durbin, who accused Dhillon of altering 'the Division's enforcement priorities to serve the President's agenda in lieu of our federal civil rights laws.'
Broader Regulatory Overhaul Under Consideration
The Post's report indicates that the Justice Department is contemplating a wider array of changes to gun regulations beyond the firearms purchase form modification, according to three anonymous sources familiar with the plans. Some of the proposed changes would ease restrictions on the private sale of firearms and loosen regulations surrounding the shipping of guns.
Other potential alterations to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regulations under consideration would modify the types of firearms that can be imported and make licensing fees refundable. Officials are still finalising these new regulations and determining the timing of their announcement, according to the sources.
Administration's Pro-Gun Rights Stance
The Trump administration has installed prominent gun rights advocates in senior political positions and aligned itself with conservative advocacy groups such as Gun Owners of America. Furthermore, the administration has pushed to reduce the number of ATF law enforcement officers by approximately 5,000, which would decrease the number of inspectors responsible for ensuring gun sellers comply with federal laws.
The ATF plays a crucial role in regulating firearm sales and licensing, collaborating with local law enforcement to solve gun-related crimes. Federal and local law enforcement officials credit the ATF's gun tracing capabilities with assisting in the fight against violent crime.
Defending the Policy Direction
In a statement, a Justice Department spokesperson asserted that 'the Biden Administration waged war against the Second Amendment, but that era has come to an end under Attorney General Bondi, who has led the Justice Department's effort to protect the Second Amendment through litigation, civil rights enforcement, regulatory reform, and by ending abusive enforcement practices.'
This comprehensive approach signals a substantial shift in federal firearms policy, with the biological sex requirement representing just one element of a broader regulatory transformation being considered by the Department of Justice.
