Federal district court in Texas: Gun ban in, around post offices unconstitutional

On Sept. 30, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in favor of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners in a case challenging the ban on possessing and carrying firearms in U.S. post offices.

In granting summary judgment in favor of SAF, the court granted both declaratory and injunctive relief, declaring the ban unconstitutional and preventing its enforcement for the plaintiffs, including SAF members. Originally filed in June 2024, the lawsuit challenges the ban on firearms carry in U.S. post offices and on postal property. SAF is joined in the case, FPC v. Bondi, by the Firearms Policy Coalition, and two private citizens.

“Millions of people across the country visit the U.S. Post Office as part of their daily routine,” said SAF executive director Adam Kraut. “As we’ve stated throughout this case, there is no historical tradition of banning firearms at post offices, and peaceable Americans all over the country should not be forced to choose between using basic postal services and the exercise of their fundamental rights. Today’s ruling is an encouraging step towards restoring these rights.”

As noted in the opinion:

“The Court determines that both 18 U.S.C. § 930(a) and 39 C.F.R. § 232.1(1) are inconsistent with the principles that underpin this Nation’s regulatory tradition. Thus, they are unconstitutional as-applied to carrying firearms inside an ordinary post office or on post office property.”

“This is a huge win for SAF and its members,” said SAF founder and executive vice president Alan M. Gottlieb. “There is no historical analogue to justify a ban on carrying a firearm on postal property, and we are pleased the court rightly saw through this thinly veiled attempt at preventing citizens from fully exercising their constitutional rights.”

Republished with permission from Second Amendment Foundation.

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