DOJ Restores Gun Rights Process Under Pardon Office

The Justice Department finalizes a rule to revive the federal process for restoring gun rights to some individuals barred from firearms, moving oversight to the Office of the Pardon Attorney with case-by-case determinations. Attorney General Todd Blanche says the process balances Second Amendment rights with public safety, requiring applicants to show their circumstances, record, and conduct indicate they do not pose a danger and that restoring rights serves the public interest. The administration frames it as restoring rights for millions who lost them since the 1990s, while preserving existing state and other restrictions and excluding violent felons, sex offenders, and those living illegally in the country from relief. Gun-rights advocates hail the move as a major restoration, with officials predicting a surge of applications. Some sources estimate up to hundreds of thousands in the first year, while others peg the potential pool at around 30 million Americans affected. Critics warn of public-safety risks and emphasize careful, individualized reviews, noting the policy shift has been in gestation since Congress blocked the process in 1992.