Second Amendment advocates fighting blue state governors and mayors over guns are welcoming a new ally to their battle, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
In significant actions taken as recently as Tuesday, the division has moved to protect gun rights in Los Angeles and Illinois, giving groups fighting initiatives from assault weapons bans to limits on concealed carry permits hope for victory in their efforts.
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Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon signaled that she planned to be a partner with Second Amendment groups when she traveled to Illinois last month to oppose the state’s gun ban in a case the federal government isn’t even a party to.
In her five-minute presentation before the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Dhillon said, “The right to self-defense is not a second-class right. It is fundamental. It is for all Americans, regardless of where they live.”
This week, her division filed suit against the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, claiming it was slow-walking concealed carry permit approvals.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Dhillon, adding, “This lawsuit seeks to stop Los Angeles County’s egregious pattern and practice of delaying law-abiding citizens from exercising their right to bear arms.”
The Justice Department called the action “the first affirmative lawsuit in support of gun owners filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.”
In appearing in Chicago to argue against Gov. JB Pritzker’s (D-IL) assault weapons ban, Dhillon proved that she was eager to show the Trump administration’s support for basic Constitutional rights, even when controversial, said Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association.
“Illinois witnessed a moment that will be remembered for generations. For the first time in history, the United States Department of Justice stepped directly into a case challenging an Illinois gun ban,” he said in an op-ed shared Thursday with Washington Secrets.
Pearson said that his group had been working with the division for help, but Dhillon went much further in showing up at the court to make the case for gun rights in a case expected to end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.
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“For months, we had been working quietly behind the scenes with senior officials in Washington to elevate this case to the highest levels of government. That effort paid off in Chicago when Harmeet Dhillon, one of the most respected attorneys in America, walked into the courtroom on behalf of the Department of Justice — and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us,” said Pearson, adding, “This was not just another hearing. It was a historic moment for freedom in Illinois.”
Dhillon made many of the arguments against bans of commonly used firearms, including AR-15s, that the Supreme Court has made in recent years. When challenged by the judge, she said she had a responsibility to stand up for Second Amendment rights.
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Pearson said the administration’s involvement is a positive sign for Second Amendment groups fighting to overturn gun bans and former President Joe Biden-era restrictions on accessories such as suppressors and pistol braces.
“The DOJ’s decision to send its top civil rights attorney to Illinois is not just symbolic — it is a direct acknowledgment that our case is strong, our cause is just, and that the Second Amendment is worth defending in every state, including Illinois,” he said.