By Evaristo Lara
If a proposed regulation from the Trump administration is approved, presented last month, The Postal Service (USPS) could be perfectly used to mail pistols and revolvers to anyone in the United States.
Assistance offered by a federal agency independent of the executive division of the government would likely be regulated by requiring that weapons be unloaded and securely packaged. However, this does not limit the risk that they may end up in the hands of crime or people considered dangerous.
Before making any changes to its rules on handguns, the USPS decided to take a closer look at the implications of delivering weapons as mail.
Ninety-nine years ago, with the goal of curbing crime through law, the USPS was prohibited from mailing concealable firearms unless they came from authorized dealers.
However, in January, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reviewed the law passed by Congress almost a century ago and concluded that such positioning was unconstitutional.
Under this approach, the USPS was urged to modify its regulations as much as possible.
“The Second Amendment prevents you from refusing to ship constitutionally protected firearms to and receive from law-abiding citizens, even if they are not authorized manufacturers or distributors,” the DOJ said in a statement.
However, Attorneys general from nearly 20 states sent a letter asking the USPS to withdraw its proposed ruleas it carries an additional burden on state budgets since it involves creating a new tracking structure to account for firearms sent by mail.
“It would make it easier for criminals and abusers to have access to firearms. It would be a slap in the face for victims of gun violence and law enforcement,” Aaron Ford, Nevada’s former prosecutor, wrote on social media.
Taking a similar approach, Rob Bonta, California’s former prosecutor, issued a statement warning about the risk of using the USPS to move guns across the country.
“We cannot ignore the dangerous consequences of this proposed rule, which could allow people with criminal records to obtain guns without background checks or respect for state firearms laws.
“This perfectly irresponsible loophole flagrantly ignores public safety and would place a direct burden on state resources,” he pointed out.
Keep reading:
• Supreme Court upholds federal regulations on ghost gun kits
• Supreme Court orders courts to re-review firearms-related challenges
• Five facts that explain why gun violence was declared a public health crisis in the US.
• The Postal Service reports losses of $3.3 billion dollars
