Everytown for Gun Safety Submits Amicus Brief in United States v. Rahimi

NEW YORK – Today, Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country, submitted an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case United States v. Rahimi. 

Rahimi centers on the long-standing federal law prohibiting individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms, which the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held unconstitutional this past February. If the Supreme Court affirms the Fifth Circuit’s shocking decision, it will upend a critical protection that has been in place for almost 30 years, allowing domestic abusers to possess firearms under federal law and putting domestic violence survivors in all 50 states and Washington D.C. at risk for gun violence. 

As the brief explains, “[g]un regulations that protect victims of domestic violence are among the most important and foundational public safety laws in our country.” And the U.S. Constitution “has long reflected the obvious wisdom—shared by every generation of Americans—of keeping guns away from individuals found to be dangerous and irresponsible.” Disarming a domestic abuser like Mr. Rahimi is therefore entirely consistent with the Second Amendment.  

“It’s common sense to prevent people who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. Research shows us what happens when abusers have access to guns – their victims are five times more likely to be shot and killed,” said Janet Carter, Senior Director of Issues and Appeals at Everytown Law. “Everytown filed this amicus brief to urge the Supreme Court to side with public safety and with the majority of Americans who agree that domestic abusers should not be able to possess firearms. The Supreme Court must overturn the Fifth Circuit’s extreme and deadly decision – lives depend on it.”

In addition to Everytown for Gun Safety, other organizations and individuals have submitted over 30 amicus briefs in support of reversing the Fifth Circuit’s reckless decision, including: 

• 171 United States Senators and Representatives
• California Legislative Women’s Caucus, a bipartisan association composed of all 50 women members of the California State Legislature 
• A group of Texas District Attorneys and leaders of domestic-violence-prevention organizations
• Leading scholars of Second Amendment law 
• Legal Aid Chicago and 20 other organizations serving survivors of domestic violence in Illinois 
• 111 public-health researchers and lawyers 

To speak with an expert about United States v. Rahimi please contact press@everytown.org.