As if gun rights activists have not had enough winning for one week after President Trump’s election landslide. Now, a major victory for gun rights advocates has unfolded in Illinois as a federal judge issued a permanent injunction against the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA), which had criminalized the possession of certain popular firearms and large-capacity magazines.
The ruling prevents Illinois from enforcing its semi-auto gun and magazine ban, marking a significant win for the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its allies.
Alan Gottlieb, founder and Executive Vice President of SAF, announced the victory with a statement emphasizing the win for constitutional rights.
“Today, a federal judge in the Southern District of Illinois issued findings of fact and conclusions of law in SAF’s challenge to the Illinois assault weapons ban and magazine capacity ban,” he said. “The judge issued a permanent injunction, which enjoined the state from enforcing the criminal penalties against all Illinois citizens.”
The ruling also blocks Illinois from enforcing PICA’s registration requirements and penalties for submitting false information, though the injunction is stayed for 30 days to allow Illinois a chance to appeal.
The challenge against PICA argued that the ban on AR-15s and similar firearms, along with the magazine restrictions, is inconsistent with the Second Amendment, especially as AR-15s are among the most popular firearms in the country for self-defense and sport shooting. SAF and co-plaintiffs, including the Illinois State Rifle Association and Firearms Policy Coalition, have argued that the law infringes on the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
“This is a great victory for the Second Amendment Foundation and the right to keep and bear arms,” Gottlieb added. “The gun prohibition lobby and their bought-and-paid-for politicians just suffered a big defeat.”
For Illinois gun owners, this ruling is a stand against restrictions that many feel only penalize lawful citizens. The permanent injunction reflects the court’s stance that PICA violates the right to keep and bear arms as enshrined in the Constitution. However, with the 30-day stay, the legal battle may not be over yet as Illinois is expected to seek further appeals.
This decision joins a growing list of court cases challenging restrictive gun laws across the nation, reinforcing the principle that law-abiding citizens’ rights should not be compromised by what critics call misguided political agendas.
