Attorney General Becerra, Joining 19 AGs, Files Motion to Block Trump Administration’s Green Light to Distribute Blueprints of 3D-Printed, Untraceable "Ghost” Guns; Calls on U.S. Department of State ‘Do Your Job’

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today joined a coalition of 20 Attorneys General in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to continue blocking the Trump Administration’s inexplicable action making blueprints available on the internet for untraceable (so-called “ghost”) guns that can be manufactured on a 3D printer. Attorney General Becerra also joined a letter expressing grave concerns about the U.S. Department of State’s failure to enforce federal law to keep untraceable firearms out of the hands of terrorists, criminals, and others seeking to do harm. 

“The federal government needs to do their job. That means they should support and not sabotage law enforcement’s work to keep us safe,” said Attorney General Becerra. “On what planet do you intentionally make untraceable 3D-printed ghost weapons available to dangerous individuals? President Trump’s green light to distribute blueprints of 3D-printed, untraceable ghost guns needlessly endangers our children, our loved ones and our men and women in law enforcement. We’re asking the court to put the brakes on the Trump Administration’s foolish and irrational action. President Trump must understand that his fingerprints will be all over these untraceable ghost guns if his inexplicable decision leads to the use of these dangerous weapons to commit crimes.”

On June 29, the Trump Administration abandoned two favorable federal court rulings authorizing the government to block the publication of downloadable blueprints for 3D-printed ghost guns and instead reached a settlement with Defense Distributed, a Texas-based company that distributes blueprints for 3D-printed ghost guns. This agreement became public in late July. On July 30, Attorney General Becerra joined a bipartisan coalition of 20 attorneys general calling on the federal government to change course and block Defense Distributed from posting blueprints online; a Washington State-led coalition filed suit on the same day. The next day, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a temporary restraining order preventing Defense Distributed from disseminating 3D ghost gun blueprints. On August 2, the State of California and a bipartisan coalition of other states joined the suit as plaintiffs.

The temporary restraining order will remain in effect until August 28. Today’s motion for preliminary injunction seeks to continue to bar the Trump Administration from lifting export controls on 3D-printed downloadable ghost weapons and Defense Distributed from posting the blueprints online. 

Copies of the motion for preliminary injunction and the comment letter are available here.