Key Points:

• The Supreme Court upheld regulations on ghost guns, requiring serial numbers and background checks.
• Ghost guns have surged in use, with over 27,000 recovered by law enforcement in 2023 compared to fewer than 1,700 in 2017.
• The ruling is viewed as a significant advancement in federal efforts to curb gun violence.

In a landmark decision on March 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to uphold regulations from the Biden administration aimed at controlling the proliferation of "ghost guns." These firearms, typically available as kits for at-home assembly, have become notorious for being untraceable due to the absence of serial numbers, sparking efforts from law enforcement to curb their accessibility.

Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the majority opinion, stating that assemblies classified as "ghost guns" can be regulated under the Gun Control Act of 1968. The court found that these kits qualify as firearms, a view echoed by many advocates calling for tougher gun regulations.

The Biden administration's 2022 regulations mandated serial numbers, background checks, and age verification for buyers of these kits. The idea is to reduce the violent crime linked to the surge in ghost gun use; data indicates a tenfold increase in their recovery at crime scenes over the past six years. As Justice Gorsuch pointed out in his ruling, these kits can lead to fully operational firearms in a mere 30 minutes of assembly time.

Before this regulation, the absence of serial numbers meant that law enforcement struggled to trace many of these firearms back to their purchasers, making it particularly challenging to combat their illegal use. Gun rights advocates have challenged these regulations in court, asserting that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) overstepped its authority. However, the Supreme Court's ruling reinforces the government's stance that these firearms need regulatory oversight to prevent misuse.

The impact of this ruling is significant; it comes at a time when ghost guns have gained traction in criminal activities, notably in high-profile incidents, including a mass shooting in Philadelphia and the murder of a corporate executive in New York. Following the ruling, cities like New York and Los Angeles have reported decreases in ghost gun recoveries, suggesting the regulations may help mitigate their proliferation.

While the ruling is a step forward in the battle against gun violence, experts warn that many ghost guns already in circulation remain untraceable, indicating that the fight against these tools of violence is far from over.

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