DOJ Opposes Gun Ban Proposed After Highland Park Shooting: Report

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — President Donald Trump's Department of Justice argued against Illinois' ban on high-powered firearms, which passed after the deadly mass shooting at the 2022 Highland Park Forth of July parade, in court on Monday.

In the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, said the government wants to ensure the right to bear arms is "not relegated to a second-class right." Dhillon also criticized claims from Illinois lawmakers that some guns included in the ban are more suited for military operations than self-defense.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the ban on assault weapons in January 2023 after a mass shooting the devastated the Highland Park community that killed seven people and injured dozens more. The law prohibits more than 100 semiautomatic firearms and requires gun owners who have these kinds of weapons to register them with the Illinois State Police.

Southern District of Illinois Judge Stephen McGlynn ruled that the ban was unconstitutional last year, sending the case to the federal appeals court. This was the second time McGlynn moved to block the ban, originally opposing it in April 2023.

If the appellate court overturns the law in the state's favor, gun rights activists will likely push for the case to go before the U.S. Supreme Court. The court previously decided not to take up the case in 2024, but Justice Clarence Thomas called the ban "highly suspect" at the time and said the court should accept the full case if it comes back for review.

Read more from the Chicago Tribune: President Donald Trump’s DOJ argues against gun ban signed by Gov. JB Pritzker after Highland Park shooting