Justice Department considers possible ban on transgender people owning guns

The Justice Department is facing sharp criticism from both gun rights advocates and LGBTQ groups after it was revealed that officials have been weighing whether to restrict transgender people from owning firearms — a move that would almost certainly trigger immediate constitutional challenges if pursued.

The discussions began following last month’s shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis that authorities said was carried out by a transgender shooter, according to a person familiar with internal deliberations. That person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed that the talks are still in the early stages and no formal proposal has been drafted.

The fact that senior members of the Trump administration were even considering such a policy has already fueled outrage across the political spectrum. LGBTQ advocates have blasted the idea as discriminatory and dangerous, pointing out that transgender people make up less than 2% of the U.S. population but are four times more likely to be victims of crime. “Everyone deserves to be themselves, be safe, and live free from violence and discrimination,” GLAAD said in a statement.

The floated restrictions come against a broader backdrop of policies under Trump targeting transgender Americans — including their removal from military service, attempts to bar them from changing gender markers on passports, efforts to obtain patient information on gender-affirming care, and moves to exclude transgender women and girls from certain sports.

In response to questions about the gun discussions, the Justice Department said it is “actively evaluating options to prevent the pattern of violence we have seen from individuals with specific mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders,” but added that “no specific criminal justice proposals have been advanced at this time.”

Meanwhile, some conservative figures are rallying behind the idea of applying firearm restrictions to individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria under existing federal laws that bar gun ownership for those deemed “adjudicated as a mental defective.”