This lawsuit, filed on Monday, challenges the administration’s decision to not enforce federal law prohibiting the distribution and possession of FRTs and to redistribute thousands of those devices across the nation. Additionally, Raoul is reminding Illinois residents that FRTs, which are devices that turn semi-automatic firearms into machine guns, remain illegal under state law.
“The Trump administration’s decision to redistribute devices that convert firearms into machine guns is extreme and would have a devastating effect on the safety of communities across our country,” Raoul said in a news release. “Federal law bans these devices, and this settlement does not change the law.”
Even though the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) previously classified FRTs as machine guns under federal law, the federal government signed a settlement agreement promising to stop enforcing federal law prohibiting FRTs and to redistribute thousands of FRTs the ATF had previously seized.
According to Raoul’s office, in recent years specifically, machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) such as FRTs, which increase a firearm’s rate of fire, have frequently been used in violent crimes and mass shootings. In turn, this has worsened gun violence in the country.
Guns equipped with MCDs can exceed the rate of fire of many military machine guns, firing up to 20 bullets per second. The ATF has noted a dramatic increase in the use of MCDs, leading to an increase of machine-gun fire incidents, the release said.
“Illinois law is also clear: Forced reset triggers are unlawful,” Raoul added. “I will continue to enforce the ban on forced reset triggers under Illinois law, and I will advocate against any policy that will contribute to the gun violence that has become common in too many communities in Illinois and across the nation.”
Since at least 1975, the ATF has classified devices that operate similarly to FRTs as machine guns illegal under federal law. FRTs replace the standard trigger on semiautomatic guns to allow the shooter to maintain continuous fire with one trigger pull, which is similar to the operation of fully automatic weapons.
Even with the prohibition, the ATF estimates that at least 100,000 FRTs have been distributed across the United States in “recent years.” The ATF’s records also establish that machine-gun conversion devices are appearing more frequently at crime scenes.
In the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Marland, Raoul and the coalition said they are hoping to prevent the redistribution of FRTs because they are prohibited by federal law. This makes it illegal for anyone to own a machine gun, “the definition of which includes devices that convert firearms into automatic weapons.”
This lawsuit explains that the federal government cannot violate federal law, even when it tries to “bury those violations in a settlement agreement.” The lawsuit also explains that the redistribution of FRTs will threaten public safety, pointing out that the ATF has admitted that returning FRTs in states that prohibit them would “aid and abet” violations of state laws.
The following attorneys general joined Raoul in filing this lawsuit:
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