In a move that could spark renewed controversy, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to unveil an executive action on gun control, just days after assuring Americans they weren't targeting their firearms.
Just days after stating that they were not targeting Americans' guns, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to unveil a significant executive action on gun control. The announcement, scheduled for Thursday, will include $153 million in funding aimed at supporting states in adopting and implementing red flag laws.
According to the White House, the Department of Justice will distribute over $135 million to 48 states under the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP). This funding is designated for the implementation of extreme risk protection order, or “red flag,” programs, as well as state crisis intervention court proceedings and other related initiatives.
However, the White House has not addressed the fact that red flag laws have not successfully curtailed mass shootings in the states where they have been enacted. For instance, California, which adopted a red flag law in 2016, led the nation in “active shooter incidents” in both 2021 and 2023. Similarly, Florida's red flag law, passed in the wake of the tragic February 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, did not prevent a gunman from killing five people inside a Sebring bank in January 2019.
Red flag laws enable law enforcement to temporarily confiscate firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others, often based on the testimony of family members, neighbors, or colleagues. Critics argue that this constitutes a “pre-crime” scenario, where action is taken before any crime has been committed, raising concerns over due process and Second Amendment rights.
Vice President Harris, a known advocate of stringent gun control measures, has voiced support for these pre-crime confiscation laws as a means to prevent gun violence. The move comes as the administration faces pressure to address rising gun-related incidents, despite the contentious debate over the effectiveness and constitutionality of red flag laws.
As Biden and Harris prepare to roll out this new measure, the reaction from both gun rights advocates and those affected by gun violence will be closely watched. The executive action signals a renewed focus on gun control by the administration, even as they navigate the complex landscape of public opinion and legislative hurdles.
.png)