Supreme Court rejects Mexico's lawsuit against U.S. firearms manufacturers

By ramontomeydw // 2025-06-09

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The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit against American gun manufacturers (e.g., Smith & Wesson, Glock) alleging they fueled cartel violence by supplying firearms.
The high court ruled the lawsuit failed to overcome the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a 2005 law shielding gun makers from liability when their products are criminally misused.
Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the bench, found no evidence manufacturers directly aided illegal sales to traffickers. The ruling overturns a 2023 appeals court ruling that had allowed the case to proceed.
Gun companies hailed the decision as a defense of the Second Amendment and lawful commerce, while critics like Global Action on Gun Violence condemned the PLCAA as a loophole for the industry.
Despite the unanimous ruling, opponents pledged to push for PLCAA repeal, though the firearms industry secured a major – though not final – victory in ongoing legal challenges.

In a decisive victory for Second Amendment advocates, the U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Mexican government against American firearms companies. On June 3, the high court threw out Mexico City's complaint accusing Smith & Wesson, Glock, Beretta, Colt and others of fueling violence across the border. Initially filed in 2021, the lawsuit by the Mexican government alleged that the gun companies knowingly supplied firearms to dealers who funneled weapons into Mexico, where they were used by drug cartels. Mexico City sought up to $10 billion in damages in its complaint. The Supreme Court ruled that the claims did not overcome the protections of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed by Congress nearly two decades ago to prevent frivolous lawsuits against gun makers. Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the unanimous court, acknowledged Mexico's struggles with gun violence but found the legal argument insufficient. "Mexico's complaint does not plausibly allege that the defendant manufacturers aided and abetted gun dealers’ unlawful sales of firearms to Mexican traffickers," Kagan wrote. She noted that while some illegal sales likely occurred, the manufacturers could not be held liable without evidence of direct participation in criminal activity. The decision overturned a 2023 ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had allowed the case to proceed, and sent it back with instructions to dismiss. The Thursday ruling also reaffirmed the PLCAA, which was passed in 2005. The said law protects gun makers from liability when their products are misused by criminals.

Firearms industry hails SCOTUS ruling

Smith & Wesson CEO Mark Smith hailed the decision as a win for both his company and constitutional rights. "This suit was an affront to our nation’s sovereignty and a direct attack on the Second Amendment,” he said in a statement posted on X. (Related: Smith & Wesson pushes back on left-wing, gun-grabbing Democrats with issued statement.) Smith, who also serves as the company's president, also criticized what he called a "blatant abuse of our legal system" by anti-gun activists. "It's frankly a shame that it was allowed to continue in the first place he pointed out. Noel Francisco, legal counsel for the gun manufacturers, echoed the sentiment. "Our client makes a legal, constitutionally protected product that millions of Americans buy and use," he said, According to Francisco, the high court's decision Thursday upheld Congress' intent to protect lawful commerce in firearms. "We are gratified that the Supreme Court agreed that we are not legally responsible for criminals misusing that product to hurt people, much less smuggling it to Mexico to be used by drug cartels," the lawyer emphasized. Opponents, however, vowed to continue pushing for legal reforms. Jonathan Lowy of Global Action on Gun Violence called the PLCAA a "get-out-of-court-free card" for the gun industry and urged lawmakers to repeal it. The Supreme Court's decision was unanimous – a rarity in high-profile cases. The firearms industry and its supporters claimed a significant victory in their long-running battle against legal challenges to the right to keep and bear arms. Watch this promotional video of Smith & Wesson, a proud gunmaker standing in defense of the Second Amendment. This video is from the SentryOfTheTruthChannel on Brighteon.com.

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Firearms industry hails SCOTUS ruling

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