The National Rifle Association and the CCRKBA are condemning the potential policy, while sources clarify that the proposed restrictions are not a blanket ban but target individuals with gender dysphoria deemed mentally unstable.
Both the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) have voiced strong opposition to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) reported proposals to limit the Second Amendment rights of some transgender people.
The potential policy is a response to the recent tragic shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church-school, where the shooter, who identified as transgender, killed two students and wounded 18 others.
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CCRKBA and NRA Stand in Opposition
CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb swiftly condemned the proposals, labeling them as a “reprehensible” attempt to punish an entire group for the actions of a single, disturbed individual.
“Prohibiting whole groups of people from owning and using firearms because a sick individual misused a gun to harm and kill children is as reprehensible as restricting the rights of all law-abiding citizens because some people have committed crimes,” Gottlieb stated.
He argued that such a policy would be a dangerous precedent, echoing the broader concerns of gun owners who feel penalized for crimes they did not commit.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) echoed this, stating that it “does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping gun bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process.”
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DOJ Clarifies Stance
Amidst the backlash, two DOJ officials familiar with the matter clarified that the department is not considering a “sweeping” or “blanket ban.”
Instead, the proposal would specifically apply to individuals with gender dysphoria who have been “deemed mentally unstable or unwell.” The sources stressed that these are early, “infancy stages” of policy discussions.
A DOJ spokesperson further elaborated, stating, “The DOJ is actively evaluating options to prevent the pattern of violence we have seen from individuals with specific mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders. No specific criminal justice proposals have been advanced at this time.”
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Another separate statement affirmed the department is “actively considering a range of options to prevent mentally unstable individuals from committing acts of violence, especially at schools.”
One of the sources cautioned against describing the potential measure as a “transgender gun ban,” adding that no final decisions have been made. The criteria the government would use to determine if someone is “mentally unstable” remains a key outstanding question, raising concerns about due process and the potential for a broad interpretation of the rule.
The debate highlights the complex intersection of mental health, constitutional rights, and public safety, with major gun rights organizations and the Justice Department navigating a highly sensitive and contentious issue in the wake of a national tragedy.
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