Wed Mar 26 16:07:28 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Upholds Biden Administration’s Ghost Gun Regulations
**WASHINGTON D.C.** – In a significant victory for the Biden administration, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 on Wednesday to uphold federal regulations on untraceable “ghost guns.” The decision marks a setback for gun manufacturers and rights groups who challenged the 2022 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule.
The ATF rule requires ghost guns, which are sold in easily assembled kits, to have serial numbers and mandates background checks for purchasers. It also licenses commercial sellers of these kits and requires them to maintain records.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, which included all three liberal justices and surprisingly, four conservatives, stated that ghost guns clearly fall under the definition of firearms as outlined in the 1968 Gun Control Act. He emphasized the kits’ intended function as weapons, noting that the name “Buy Build Shoot” speaks for itself.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.
The ruling comes amid rising concerns about ghost guns used in crimes. The ATF reported nearly 20,000 ghost guns recovered at crime scenes in 2021, a tenfold increase from 2016. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued that the regulations are crucial for reducing gun violence and preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands. She noted a significant drop in ghost gun crime since the rule’s implementation.
Gun rights groups, represented by Peter Patterson, argued that the ATF overstepped its authority by expanding the definition of “firearm.” This decision contrasts with previous Supreme Court rulings that expanded gun rights, such as the overturning of a bump stock ban.
The Biden administration appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court struck down the ATF rule. Wednesday’s ruling affirms the administration’s efforts to curb the proliferation of untraceable firearms.
First Piper 