POLITICS
DOJ declines to enforce federal handgun sales ban for 18-20 year-olds
The Justice Department announced Friday it will not criminally enforce a 1968 federal law that prohibits licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to adults aged 18-20. The DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel concluded the restriction is unconstitutional under current Second Amendment jurisprudence.
Left1
Left-leaning outlets emphasize the DOJ's shift in enforcement stance and frame it as a concerning weakening of gun safety measures that have restricted handgun sales to young adults for decades.
Right2
Right-leaning outlets highlight the DOJ's constitutional reasoning, characterizing the decision as protecting the rights of law-abiding young adults and noting that existing restrictions cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny.