OHIO — The U.S. Supreme Court moved forward quickly on hearing a case involving ghost guns.

Those are weapons that can be assembled at home and hard to trace when used in a crime.

What You Need To Know

  • Ghost guns do not have serial numbers
  • The question is whether the Biden administration has the power to tweak the law and outlaw these types of weapons
  • The Biden administration wants to make it so that law enforcement can track ghost guns easily

“The constitutional issue is really whether the Biden administration can tweak the 1968 Gun Control Act, and then through a rule-making process, essentially outlaw these ghost guns,” said Mark Caleb Smith, a professor of political science and the director of the center for political studies at Cedarville University.

That’s in addition to whether or not the second amendment allows for such a move. Smith notes that when the second amendment was written, ghost guns weren’t in play. So, the justices have to keep in mind the language of the law and its context, while still allowing the government to act in a way that reflects new technology.     

Ultimately, the Biden administration wants to make the job of law enforcement easier when it comes to tracking these weapons. If it’s successful, Smith believes it’ll make it easier for law enforcement to prosecute people, when ghost guns are used in crimes. While it’s not exactly clear on how the court will rule,

“I think based on their most recent rulings, they’re a little bit more willing to allow the government to regulate within some reason,” said Smith. “It certainly could affect sales primarily by only allowing certain people to sell the weapon itself, which could be really difficult…obviously for those businesses that have sort of popped up in order to manufacture them cheaply.”