Attorney General Miyares Joins Lawsuit

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced today that he is joining 23 other states in filing a lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), its director, and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for once again overreaching their authority and infringing on Virginia’s constitutional rights.

For more than a decade, Virginians have lawfully purchased “stabilizing braces,” commonly known as pistol braces, from legal, authorized manufactures with the ATF’s knowledge and approval. Now, the ATF is requiring these same Virginians to pay a 200 dollar fee, apply for a permit and submit identifying information to the ATF for their already legally purchased firearms under the National Firearms Act.

“The federal government has a track record of circumventing the legislative process to promote their radical agenda. Instead of creating laws, the Biden Administration prefers to declare mandates through their unelected bureaucratic bodies, infringing on our constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Miyares. “Pistol braces increase accuracy, stability, and make the firearm less concealable. The ATF had no problem with them for over a decade. And millions of law-abiding Americans purchased these braces in reliance on the ATF’s approval of them. Virginians shouldn’t be subject to additional regulations and potential criminal charges because the federal government has changed its mind about pistol braces, but doesn’t want to go to Congress.”

Pistol braces were designed to help people with disabilities use pistols. Since then, many others, including older persons, people with limited mobility and those with smaller stature have come to regularly use braces to prevent some recoil and to help with accuracy.

Read the complaint HERE.