Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is teaming up with a coalition of 21 other states to fight a new federal proposal that would allow people to mail concealable firearms across state lines.
The group filed a formal comment letter on Tuesday, arguing that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is attempting to bypass a federal law that has been on the books for nearly a century.
The controversy stems from a 1927 statute that bans the USPS from transporting certain concealable weapons.
However, following a January 2026 Department of Justice opinion labeling that law unconstitutional, the USPS moved to update its regulations to allow the practice. Jones and his counterparts across the country claim this shift effectively creates a massive loophole for illegal gun sales.
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“This loophole puts guns in the hands of those barred by Virginia law from buying weapons, and it allows people to blatantly dodge background checks and access illegal firearms,” Attorney General Jay Jones stated. “The federal government continues to undermine the law and putting our communities at risk in the process.”
The coalition’s letter argues that the executive branch does not have the authority to ignore a law passed by Congress. Beyond the legal debate, the states expressed serious concerns regarding public safety. They noted that unlike private shippers such as UPS, the USPS does not have a specific legal mandate to ensure its packages comply with various state-level gun control laws.
This could allow felons, domestic abusers, or those under restraining orders to receive weapons through the mail that they would be barred from purchasing at a local shop.
Law enforcement officials are also worried about the price tag of this policy change. According to the letter, the unregulated mailing of firearms would make it significantly harder for states to trace weapons used in crimes. This would force local agencies to spend more money and man-hours building new tracking systems at a time when state budgets are already under heavy pressure.
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The Attorneys General also addressed the Second Amendment, stating that the 1927 law only regulates how the Postal Service operates and does not infringe on an individual’s right to own a gun.
They pointed out that for most of American history, the USPS did not accept firearms for mailing, and that the 1927 decision was a valid effort to prevent the federal government from inadvertently helping people violate state gun laws.
Joining Jones in this effort are the Attorneys General from New York, New Jersey, Delaware, California, Illinois, and 16 other jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia.
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