A Department of Justice (DOJ) official has announced the formation of a new Second Amendment section in the Civil Rights Division. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced that the new section will take a lot more action on enforcing gun-owners rights.
“I’m really excited about this,” said Dhillon in a video. “For the first time, the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the DOJ at large will be protecting and advancing our citizens’ right to bear arms as part of our civil rights work.”
“In other words, for the first time, the Civil Rights Division is directed to treat the Second Amendment as what it is: a civil right deserving active protection, not a second-class right that must constantly give way to regulatory experimentation,” said an announcement from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
According to a DOJ webpage explaining the new section, the DOJ wrote, “The 2nd, 4th, and 14th Amendments, the Police Pattern or Practice Act, and EO 14206 ‘Protecting Second Amendment Rights’ secure the natural firearm rights of law-abiding American citizens and ensure that such rights to keep and bear arms will not be infringed.”
The Justice Department’s 2nd Amendment section page also says, “The mission of the 2nd Amendment Section is to ensure that law-abiding American citizens may responsibly possess, carry, and use firearms. The 2nd Amendment Section will work diligently to investigate law enforcement agencies that engage in a pattern or practice of infringing on law-abiding citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights, as well as be proactive in searching for litigation opportunities to secure such rights.”
Also, the 2nd Amendment Section will seek opportunities to advance a broad interpretation of the 2nd Amendment via statements of interest, motions to intervene, amicus briefs, and original lawsuits on behalf of Americans across the country. All attorneys within the 2nd Amendment Section will advocate with zeal on behalf of the United States of America in furtherance of all objectives as tasked, the new section site said.
“The Second Amendment Section is charged with enforcing the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding American citizens,” the DOJ website says. “The Second Amendment Section investigates alleged patterns or practices of Second Amendment infringement by law enforcement. The section also files statements of interest when cases in litigation affect the interests of the United States.”
Andrew Darlington is the acting chief of the new section.
Dhillon added, “For the first time, the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the DOJ at large will be protecting and advancing our citizens’ right to bear arms as part of our civil rights work.”
The Trump administration’s classification of the Second Amendment as a core civil right — backed by an executive order, concrete ATF reforms and now a dedicated DOJ section — is a long-overdue reminder that constitutional liberties do not take a back seat to any bureaucratic efforts or legislative violations. — Todd Woodard
