Hours after California’s “Glock ban” law took effect, the Trump administration filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the measure and parts of the state’s handgun roster, arguing the state is violating the Second Amendment by restricting handguns that can be
For the third morning, California’s “Glock ban” was already on the books—then it was challenged in federal court.
The Trump administration moved quickly on Wednesday, with the U.S. Department of Justice suing California over Assembly Bill 1127. a new law that limits where most Glock and Glock-style pistols can be sold. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. seeking a court order to stop the state measure just hours after it took effect.
The Justice Department is also asking the court to invalidate key parts of California’s handgun roster—a list that determines which firearms Californians may legally purchase. In a statement Wednesday, acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said the two policies “trample” the rights of law-abiding Californians. He said. “The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans. even those in California. ” and added. “California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America.”.
Assembly Bill 1127 does not explicitly mention the Glock brand. Instead. it targets handguns that contain a specific mechanism that can be converted into fully automatic fire by so-called black market devices. Those conversion devices are often referred to as “Glock switches. ” and they can change a semiautomatic handgun into a weapon capable of firing 20 rounds per second with a single squeeze of the trigger.
The federal case points to how readily those devices have spread. Advances in 3D printing have made the conversion devices widely available and cheap to produce. Federal authorities reported recovering 11,088 switches from crime scenes between 2019 and 2023. Switches have been used in multiple mass shootings, including one in Sacramento in 2022 that resulted in six deaths and 12 injuries.
California’s law, however, is not framed as a blanket prohibition on gun ownership. It does not prohibit the possession of affected handguns already owned by Californians. It also includes exemptions for gun dealers, as well as for law enforcement and military agencies.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill in October and has maintained that firearm laws have contributed to California’s declining crime rates and gun deaths. In response to the lawsuit. Diana Crofts-Pelayo. a spokesperson for the governor. said in a statement. “The Trump administration is once again trying to dismantle California’s commonsense gun safety laws. ” and that “Our response is simple — these laws save lives.”.
The federal complaint argues that California cannot ban legal semiautomatic handguns simply because they could be illegally altered. The government says state and federal law already prohibit such pistol converters. It also compares California’s approach to banning ordinary shotguns because they can be illegally shortened.
At the center of the dispute is the handgun roster. a framework California has used for decades that requires new handgun models to pass certain safety tests before they can be approved for retail sale. A federal judge tentatively blocked portions of the roster requirements in a separate 2023 case. which is being appealed before the 9th Circuit. That earlier lawsuit was filed by the California Rifle & Pistol Assn. and other gun rights supporters after a landmark 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision set new standards for evaluating firearm restrictions.
In this new challenge, the Trump administration is asking a judge to determine that California’s gun restrictions violate the Second Amendment and to order the state to stop enforcing them.
The administration is relying on a federal civil rights law typically used against police departments accused of repeated constitutional violations. It argues that California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and state Justice Department agents qualify as peace officers. and therefore violate gun owners’ rights when they enforce handgun restrictions.
Bonta is named in the suit. Crofts-Pelayo pointed to a history of setbacks for the Trump administration in court involving Bonta. saying. “We won’t be intimidated by another politically motivated lawsuit.” She added. “We’ll continue defending the laws that protect Californians and keep dangerous weapons off our streets.”.
Trump administration DOJ California Glock ban Assembly Bill 1127 Glock switches handgun roster Todd Blanche Gavin Newsom Rob Bonta