Supreme Court upholds Biden-era ATF rule for ‘ghost guns’

The Supreme Court upheld a federal rule targeting ghost guns on Wednesday, preserving a key Biden-era regulation that treats “readily convertible” gun kits, commonly referred to as “ghost guns” due to their often untraceable characteristics, as firearms under federal law.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the 7-2 majority, concluded that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives acted within its authority when it issued a 2022 rule clarifying that gun control laws apply to kits that can be easily assembled into functioning firearms. “The ATF’s rule is not facially inconsistent with the Gun Control Act,” Gorsuch wrote, pointing to dramatic increases in ghost gun recoveries by law enforcement.