Conservatives frequently argue that gun violence would go down if we more strongly enforced the laws already on the books.
Too bad the federal government didn’t feel the same way.
As Democrats continue to howl for more infringements on the Second Amendment, a new report by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general’s office reveals that the agency failed to submit information necessary for accurate criminal background checks.
For two years.
According to a report from PJ Media, the DHS, from July 2019 to July 2021, neglected to send data detailing how criminal cases were resolved to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.
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The NICS is what gun dealers go by when submitting requests for background checks for gun sales.
In 59% percent of cases analyzed by the DHS inspector general, the agency failed to send the data within three days or simply didn’t send it at all.
The outlet noted, “This data is supposed to be updated regularly to prevent firearm sales to those who cannot legally own a gun. …If the NICS does not receive the ‘disposition data’ to approve a sale within three business days, a dealer can sell a firearm at his own discretion. This, of course, increases the chances of a prohibited person from buying a gun, and it increases the chances of a crime being committed with that firearm.”
The IG’s office recommended four changes to help close this loop.
One of them was for the DHS to “establish a mechanism to track and ensure timely responses to NICS inquiries and develop and implement a process to include immigration status at the time of inquiry for immigration-related inquiries.” Another was for the agency to “coordinate with DOJ [Department of Justice] to better understand NICS semiannual reporting requirements.”
Ya think?
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The outlet noted that the DHS agreed and promised to comply. But it has until Dec. 29, 2023, to do so.
As PJ media observed, “In this case, the background check system broke down because DHS didn’t do the job it was supposed to do. There is probably no way to quantify how many crimes, including mass shootings, might have been prevented had DHS been on the proverbial stick. But the efforts to limit the possession of firearms continue apace.”
“There are demands for stronger background checks, but the people in charge of updating the current system could not even do that. How comprehensive can a background check be if no one is minding the store? And if someone commits a crime with a gun they should never have been allowed to purchase, how much of the responsibility for the failure should fall on DHS?”
“People are all too willing to sue everyone but the government when a gun-related crime occurs. Perhaps it is time for that to change.”
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