Democratic Attorneys General Association Praises Administration Push to Keep Americans Safe from Violent Crime

April 11, 2022

Washington, DC – Today the Biden-Harris Administration finalized a new rule cracking down on ghost guns, which are becoming significantly more common in violent crimes. The statistics are sobering:

  • According to the Administration, “Last year alone, there were approximately 20,000 suspected ghost guns reported to ATF as having been recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations – a ten-fold increase from 2016.”
  • The New York TimesOne investigation late last year revealed that “Over the past 18 months, the officials said, ghost guns accounted for 25 to 50 percent of firearms recovered at crime scenes.”
  • The Hill: “Local law enforcement reported 1,750 suspected ghost guns in 2016, and that number had grown to 8,712 by 2020, according to DOJ statistics.”

Statement from DAGA Co-Chairs Nevada AG Aaron Ford and Delaware AG Kathy Jennings:

“Today’s announcement is an important step towards keeping ghost guns out of the hands of violent criminals. Last year Democratic Attorneys General urged the Administration to continue taking direct action, and we are grateful to have helped lead the charge on this important public safety effort. This announcement will help keep these weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals who are attacking our communities and families. We will continue to partner with the Administration as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to keep the American people safe.”

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