The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state of California over its ban on Glock handguns, arguing that the regulation violates the Second Amendment and unlawfully disarms law-abiding citizens. The federal government claims the prohibition—effective July 1, 2026—on one of America’s most widely used semi-automatic pistols is unconstitutional.
The ban was signed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom on October 10, 2025. In response, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced the DOJ lawsuit to overturn the measure. Dhillon stated: “The Civil Rights Division will defend law-abiding citizens from states that seek to disarm them illegally. This lawsuit is yet another example of this Justice Department enforcing the Second Amendment by protecting citizens against unconstitutional state regulation of firearms.”
Todd Blanche, the Acting Attorney General, concurred with Dhillon, asserting that California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America and adding that the government will “work to stop this blatant trampling of our rights by the California government to protect the rights of lawful gun owners.”
The state classified Glocks as “machinegun-convertible pistols” following federal prohibitions on “Glock switches,” which convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons.
If successful, the case could set a precedent for limiting state-level firearm regulations and represents another Second Amendment challenge from the Trump administration against stringent restrictions imposed by Democratic officials. The lawsuit follows similar actions by the DOJ in December 2024, when it filed complaints against Washington, D.C.’s police department over a ban on firearms including the AR-15. During that period, outgoing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed executive orders targeting gun owners and labeled advocates of gun rights as “bullshit.” Additionally, the Democratic-controlled Minnesota Senate passed a bill in early May 2024 banning certain semiautomatic rifles and magazines holding more than 17 rounds.
