The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a federal lawsuit against California, seeking to block enforcement of the state’s newly enacted “Glock Ban” and its longstanding handgun roster requirements, arguing both violate the Second Amendment.
Filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the complaint contends that California’s prohibition on the retail sale of semiautomatic pistols with a cruciform trigger bar – including virtually all Glock and many Glock-style handguns – unconstitutionally prevents “law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms in common use for lawful purposes.”
The 16-page complaint relies heavily on recent Supreme Court precedent, including District of Columbia v. Heller, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, and United States v. Rahimi, arguing that California cannot justify the restrictions under the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.
Justice Department SUES CALIFORNIA to Halt Glock Ban
“The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California. California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America,” said Acting Attorney General @DAGToddBlanche. “We will work to… pic.twitter.com/yqUDW2vzXp
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) July 1, 2026
The DOJ also challenges the state’s handgun roster, which requires many new semiautomatic pistols to include features such as a chamber-load indicator and magazine-disconnect mechanism before they can be sold in California.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California. California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon added that the Civil Rights Division “will defend law-abiding citizens from states that seek to disarm them illegally,” calling the lawsuit another example of the department enforcing constitutional protections for lawful firearm owners.
The DOJ argues California’s restrictions target some of the nation’s most commonly owned handguns. The complaint cites market data indicating Glock pistols account for a significant share of the U.S. handgun market and emphasizes that the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized handguns as protected arms under the Second Amendment.
The lawsuit comes as similar firearm restrictions are being challenged in courts across the country.
On the same day of filing its complaint in California, the DOJ filed a separate lawsuit against Virginia over a newly enacted law banning the commercial sale of AR-15-style rifles, arguing the measure violates the Second Amendment by prohibiting one of the nation’s most commonly owned firearms.
In Maryland, the Second Amendment Foundation, National Rifle Association, and Firearms Policy Coalition recently challenged Senate Bill 334, which similarly restricts so-called “machine gun convertible pistols,” arguing it effectively bans most Glock handguns before the law takes effect in 2027.
Industry leaders have also criticized the growing number of state restrictions.
GlockStore founder and CEO Lenny Magill, whose company relocated its headquarters from California to Tennessee in 2020, recently described California’s policy as “crazy,” noting that Glock pistols remain standard issue for many law enforcement agencies while being increasingly restricted for civilian purchasers.
“California, for whatever reason, even though all the law enforcement people use the Glock, they said, ‘Hey, the civilians can’t have ’em anymore because we think they’re dangerous.’ Which is crazy,” Magill said during a recent appearance on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show. “I’m a believer that firearms are important to maintain our sovereignty, not only with the foreign countries, the evil foreign countries and all that, but also with the government. We need to be able to keep the government in check.”
The DOJ is seeking declaratory and permanent injunctive relief that would prevent California from enforcing both the Glock Ban and the challenged handgun roster provisions statewide.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Glock Handgun and Accessories” by Glock USA.
