A federal judge in Illinois has issued a temporary injunction against the enforcement of a ban on some semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines, according to a report from Townhall.
U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn determined that there is a “reasonable likelihood” the plaintiffs, who argue the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) infringes on their Second Amendment rights, will succeed in their lawsuit.
PICA was enacted following a mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park last year, which claimed seven lives and injured many more.
In his ruling, Judge McGlynn questioned whether the actions of a few could warrant the limitation of constitutional rights for law-abiding citizens: “Can the senseless crimes of a relative few be so despicable to justify the infringement of the constitutional rights of law-abiding individuals in hopes that such crimes will then abate or, at least, not be as horrific? More specifically, can PICA be harmonized with the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and with Bruen? That is the issue before this Court. The simple answer at this stage in the proceedings is ‘likely no.'”
Judge McGlynn cited the Supreme Court’s decisions in Bruen and Heller, which established that citizens have a constitutional right to own firearms and use them for self-defense.
He argued that PICA appears to disregard these precedents rather than conform to them.
The judge further highlighted alternative methods for addressing gun violence, stating, “There is a wide array of civil and criminal laws that permit the commitment and prosecution of those who use or may use firearms to commit crimes. Law enforcement and prosecutors should take their obligations to enforce these laws seriously. Families and the public at large should report concerning behavior. Judges should exercise their prudent judgment in committing individuals that pose a threat to the public and imposing sentences that punish, not just lightly inconvenience, those guilty of firearm-related crimes.”
Read the full ruling below:
