PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously blocked Mexico’s lawsuit against American gun manufacturers, citing federal protections under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).
👥 Who’s Involved: The Mexican government, major U.S. gunmakers including Smith & Wesson, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Elena Kagan delivered the opinion.
📍 Where & When: The ruling was issued in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: Justice Elena Kagan wrote that Mexico’s complaint “does not plausibly allege” that gunmakers aided unlawful sales to traffickers.
⚠️ Impact: The decision reinforces legal protections for U.S. firearms manufacturers, shielding them from liability for crimes committed using their products.
IN FULL:
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously ruled against a lawsuit brought by the Mexican government seeking to hold American gun manufacturers accountable for firearm trafficking and cartel violence. The decision marks a significant victory for the U.S. firearms industry, affirming the protections offered under the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).
In the case Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Mexico alleged that U.S. gunmakers knowingly facilitated the illegal sale of firearms to straw purchasers, who then trafficked the weapons into Mexico for use by drug cartels. The Mexican government sought $10 billion in damages, arguing that the gunmakers’ actions fell under the “predicate exception” to PLCAA, which allows lawsuits if manufacturers knowingly break the law.
Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the court, stated that Mexico’s complaint “does not plausibly allege” that the gunmakers aided or abetted illegal firearm sales, thereby barring the case under PLCAA. The law, passed with bipartisan support in 2005, broadly shields gun manufacturers from liability for crimes committed with their products.
The lawsuit, filed in 2021, targeted seven major gunmakers and one wholesaler. While a federal district court in Massachusetts dismissed the case in 2022, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived it in early 2024, ruling that the allegations of aiding illegal sales warranted further consideration. The Supreme Court’s decision halts Mexico’s legal efforts.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), between 200,000 and 500,000 U.S.-made firearms are trafficked into Mexico annually, a phenomenon often referred to as the “iron river.” Nearly half of the guns recovered at Mexican crime scenes are American-made.
