The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently declared a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to closing down any gun stores that violate the law. ATF documents indicate that for any infractions of the federal firearms license, immediate revocation is assumed as the course of action – unless extraordinary circumstances exist. This includes knowingly transferring a firearm to someone who is not legally allowed to possess one; failing to run a background check prior to transferring a firearm to someone who does not have an official license; deliberately making false statements or falsifying records; not responding to an ATF trace request in a timely manner; refusing permission for ATF personnel to conduct an inspection; or engaging in straw purchases of firearms.
Aiden Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America (GOA), has expressed concern over this new policy. “Joe Biden has weaponized the ATF against gun owners and the firearms industry in an attempt to violate the Second Amendment and expand his illegal gun registry,” Johnston said. “Rather than targeting those who display clear negligence and disregard for the law, ATF now revokes licenses without warning at the discovery of a first mistake by honest gun dealers.”
GOA also released their own report on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requested documents which showed that through these violations, ATF had “converted nearly one billion records” into one centralized digital searchable database which included information about guns and gun owners – something that is considered illegal according to various federal laws. Furthermore, GOA noted that this database was being searched multiple times except for reported searches involving gun owners themselves.
These developments have sparked fear among many individuals who are concerned about their privacy as well as potential abuse from authorities when it comes to prosecuting individuals who may have unknowingly committed minor violations with regards to firearm laws. While there is still debate about whether such violations should be strictly enforced, there is no doubt that these new guidelines will be implemented and could lead to serious consequences for those who do not comply with them – including jail sentences up to ten years in some cases.
