EXCLUSIVE: AG Todd Blanche Finalizes Regulation Allowing Restoration of Gun Rights for Non-Violent Felons

Attorney General Todd Blanche finalized a regulation Monday that creates a pathway for non-violent felons to pursue the restoration of their federal gun rights.

A press release, provided beforehand to Breitbart News, makes clear, “Absent extraordinary circumstances, violent felons, registered sex offenders, illegal aliens, and other individuals who present an ongoing danger will remain presumptively ineligible for relief.”

However, non-violent felons will have a way to pursue the restoration of their federal gun rights. Their applications will be considered individually, with an emphasis on public safety remaining predominant.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said:

The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and the federal government should not permanently deprive Americans of a constitutional right without regard to whether they pose a danger to public safety. This rule establishes a rigorous, commonsense process that protects the public while giving deserving Americans a real path to restoration.

The press release says:

Each applicant must establish to the Attorney General’s satisfaction that the circumstances giving rise to the prohibition, together with the applicant’s record, reputation, and subsequent conduct, demonstrate that the applicant is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest.

Individuals who are interested in pursuing the restoration of their federal gun rights “may visit the Justice Department’s Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Program website–click here–for eligibility information, application instructions, and access to the Department’s application process.”

The DOJ’s push to provide an avenue for the restoration of federal gun rights does not annul state-level restrictions/laws which may also impact non-violent felons’ rights.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He holds a PhD in Military History with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. He enjoys reading Philosophy and novels by Jack Carr and Nelson DeMille. He is a lever action man in an AR-15 world. Follow him on X: @awrhawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.