DOJ Challenges Illinois Assault Weapons Ban Before Appeals Court

The Department of Justice under President Donald Trump is actively challenging Illinois’ 2023 assault weapons ban, which was enacted following the Highland Park mass shooting. Although not a formal party to the case, the DOJ’s civil rights chief, Harmeet Dhillon, has been granted permission by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to present oral arguments against the law, arguing it infringes on Second Amendment rights. This involvement is notable as it treats gun rights as civil rights and represents a direct and personal DOJ advocacy unusual at the appellate level. The law bans the sale and possession of certain high-powered firearms and limits magazine capacity, and its constitutionality is being evaluated against Supreme Court standards on firearm regulations. The legal challenge also reflects broader political tensions between President Trump and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, as the Trump administration has repeatedly opposed Pritzker’s policies. The case could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court, with significant implications for gun rights and state regulatory authority.