Federal government moves to crush unconstitutional firearm restrictions after Denver refuses to back down.
After openly defying a federal warning just one day earlier, the city of Denver is now facing a full-scale lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice over its sweeping ban on commonly-owned firearms.
The confrontation escalated rapidly after DOJ officials sent a letter demanding the city repeal its 37-year-old “Assault Weapons” Ban or face legal consequences, arguing the ordinance violates the Second Amendment.
Rather than comply, Denver leaders doubled down. Mayor Mike Johnston bluntly rejected the demand, declaring the city would not roll back the ban and framing the DOJ’s warning as federal overreach.
That defiance set the stage for immediate legal action. Within hours, the DOJ followed through.
Former National Association for Gun Rights Chief Legal Counsel and Acting Chief of the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Second Amendment Section, Barry Arrington was the one filing suit and making clear it intends to dismantle what it calls an unconstitutional prohibition on firearms that millions of Americans lawfully own.
Federal officials argue Denver’s law targets semi-automatic rifles that are undeniably in “common use,” placing the ordinance squarely in conflict with Supreme Court precedent protecting the right to keep and bear arms.
The DOJ had previously offered the city a chance to avoid litigation by ceasing enforcement and acknowledging the ban’s Constitutional defects, but Denver refused — insisting its policy promotes public safety and reflects local values.
However, the city’s stance exposes a deeper problem: politicians willing to ignore Constitutional limits in pursuit of ideological gun control.
At the heart of the lawsuit is a fundamental question — whether local governments can outlaw entire categories of firearms simply by labeling them with politically charged terms like “assault weapons.”
The DOJ’s answer is unequivocal: they cannot.
If the federal government prevails, the case could strike down not only Denver’s ordinance but also similar bans nationwide, restoring access to standard firearms for law-abiding Americans.
For years, anti-gun officials have relied on feature-based bans to restrict ownership without addressing criminal misuse — but this lawsuit signals that strategy may finally be running out of road.
With Denver refusing to yield and the DOJ digging in, the legal battle now underway could become one of the most consequential Second Amendment showdowns in recent memory.
Read the DOJ’s press release by clicking here.
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