WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is drawing swift criticism from gun rights groups and LGBTQ advocates after it came to light that it was considering restricting transgender people from owning guns.
The discussion comes afterwards Shooting at Minneapolis Catholic School A federal official said last month that it was done by a transgender shooter, according to someone familiar with the issue. Those who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations warned that the consultation was in the early stages and that the proposal was not complete.
Still, that high-level official in the Trump administration was arguing that such an idea had sparked anger across the political spectrum. LGBTQ advocates called it a mistake and dangerous as the majority of mass shootings in the US were carried out by men and not involved with transgender people.
“Transgender people are less than 2% of the total population, but are four times more likely to be victims of crime,” Glaad said in an email. “Everyone deserves to be themselves, be safe and be free from violence and discrimination. We all deserve to be leaders who prioritize keeping us all safe and free.”
Since Trump took office, his administration has targeted transgender people in several ways. military serviceScrub some, Federal Website Their mention is trying to prevent changes to sex markers passportI’m looking for it personal information They are trying to ban transgender girls and women from certain things about gender-affirming care patients from doctors and clinics Sports competition.
The Justice Department said in a statement in response to questions about firearms, that the agency is “actively evaluating certain mental health challenges and options to prevent patterns of violence from viewed by individuals with substance abuse disorders.” However, the department said: “At this point, no specific criminal justice proposals have been made.”
Some conservative figures have collaborated with the idea of restricting guns for people diagnosed with gender discomfort – it may be that people have because their assigned gender and gender identity do not match – they prohibit people from owning firearms if they are “justed as mental flaws.”
“It’s incredibly worrying that it appears to be on the table for them,” says Alejandra Carabaro, a trans rights activist and Harvard Law School instructor. “This isn’t very difficult to do logistically or in fact, but it’s politically explosive when it comes to backlash from the Second Amendment group.”
Gun rights advocates, including politically powerful groups such as the National Rifle Association and American gun owners, have vowed to fight a proposal that imposed a blanket ban targeting segments of the population.
“The second amendment is uncontroversial,” the NRA said in a social media post Friday. “The NRA does not support a policy proposal to implement cleaning guns that prohibits law-abiding citizens from arbitrarily depriving themselves of their second amendment without a legitimate process.”
Another gun rights group, the Citizens’ Committee, calls the debate “intrusive.”
“Prohibiting sick individuals from misusing guns to harm or kill children is as condemned as limiting the rights of citizens to comply with all laws because some people committed crimes,” said Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the group. “It’s amazing that anyone in the Trump administration considers such nonsense.”
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Philadelphia Associated Press Reporter Geoff Mulvihill contributed.
