DOJ Sues California Over Glock Ban and Handgun Roster, Igniting Major Second Amendment Clash

On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against California challenging the state's new ban on 'machinegun-convertible pistols' (targeting Glock-style handguns via Assembly Bill 1127) and its longstanding handgun roster under the Unsafe Handgun Act. The suit, brought by the Civil Rights Division, argues both measures violate the Second Amendment by restricting law-abiding citizens' access to commonly used firearms for self-defense.[1][2]

The AB 1127 law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2025 and effective July 1, prohibits licensed dealers from selling or transferring semiautomatic pistols with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted to full-auto with a Glock switch or similar device—without further modification. Pistols sold before January 1, 2026, are grandfathered. Similar restrictions exist in New York, Maryland, and Connecticut. The DOJ contends the ban effectively prohibits popular handguns based on potential illegal modifications, infringing on protected rights affirmed by Supreme Court precedents like Bruen.[3]

The lawsuit also targets California's handgun roster, which mandates features like chamber load indicators, magazine disconnect mechanisms, and (until recently) microstamping. No new handguns were added to the roster from 2013 to 2023 due to these requirements, limiting access to modern firearms. An existing injunction applies to parts of the roster, but the DOJ asserts its provisions remain unconstitutional.[4]

California officials, including Newsom and a spokesperson, defended the laws as lifesaving measures amid historic low crime rates, vowing to fight the suit. The DOJ's Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated the division will protect citizens from unconstitutional disarmament. The case, United States v. California, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and builds on prior warnings and parallel challenges by groups like the NRA.[5]

This action highlights escalating state-federal tensions over gun policy, testing the limits of Second Amendment protections against state-level restrictions on popular firearms.