DOJ Official Predicts Supreme Court Will Declare AR-15 Rifles Legal Nationwide

WASHINGTON — Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told Just The News that the Department of Justice anticipates the legal fight over so-called assault rifle bans will reach the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices will ultimately rule that AR-15-style rifles are protected under the Second Amendment and legal for law-abiding citizens to own.

In the interview, Dhillon emphasized the department’s strong defense of Second Amendment rights and its expectation that the high court will affirm the constitutionality of these commonly owned firearms. She noted that multiple ongoing federal court challenges to state and local bans on AR-15s and similar semiautomatic rifles are progressing, and the DOJ is actively positioning the cases for eventual Supreme Court review.

Dhillon referenced the Supreme Court’s landmark decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), which established that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense and that gun regulations must be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition. She argued that bans on AR-15-style rifles, which are among the most popular firearms in the United States, cannot survive that constitutional test.

According to Dhillon, the administration is committed to fighting what it views as unconstitutional restrictions on semiautomatic rifles. She expressed confidence that once the Supreme Court takes up the issue, it will declare these rifles legal nationwide, removing the patchwork of state-level bans that currently exist.

The comments reflect the broader Trump administration’s push to roll back Biden-era gun control measures and defend the rights of law-abiding gun owners. The DOJ has already begun rescinding several previous regulations and is supporting Second Amendment litigation in the courts.

Dhillon did not provide a specific timeline for when the Supreme Court might hear an AR-15 case, but she indicated the legal process is advancing steadily through the lower courts. The outcome of these cases could have significant nationwide implications for semiautomatic rifle ownership and the scope of Second Amendment protections.