| Houston, Texas – Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee has filed an amicus brief in federal court supporting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in a case challenging the National Firearms Act, an essential law that has safeguarded communities for nearly a century by regulating certain especially dangerous weapons. The lawsuit seeks to unravel core provisions of the National Firearms Act (NFA), which has long imposed registration, background check, and other requirements on individuals who manufacture, import, or transfer weapons such as silencers, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns. These firearms are particularly susceptible to criminal misuse and pose heightened public safety risks. The brief explains that these rules, including notifying local law enforcement when someone tries to make or transfer these weapons, help keep dangerous firearms away from people who shouldn’t have them. Removing these safeguards would make it harder for police to detect and investigate gun crimes, especially when silencers are involved. “This case is about whether we continue to have basic, common-sense safety measures that keep dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands,” said Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee. “There is nothing radical about requiring safeguards for weapons that are designed with concealability or silence in mind. There is nothing un-American about regulations that ensure guns don’t end up with dangerous people and that hold manufacturers accountable when they are making weapons. For decades, these laws have helped local governments protect residents and respond to gun crimes.” “Every community deserves protection from the devastation of gun violence. Weakening safeguards on the most dangerous weapons undermines holistic public safety measures that have been proven to work, including violence prevention programs, gun buy-backs, alternative response teams, and other community-based outreach. Texans deserve solutions that save lives—not lawsuits from the attorney general that perpetuate cycles of violence,” said Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis. "Public safety is the most fundamental responsibility of government. The National Firearms Act has long helped us meet that duty by keeping some of the most dangerous weapons off our streets. Gutting these protections makes it harder for our law enforcement partners to address violent crime and protect our neighborhoods. I thank County Attorney Menefee for defending our ability to help keep Harris County families safer,” said Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones. "As a lifelong cop and former Sheriff of Harris County, I'm grateful that Harris County is standing with law enforcement agencies across the country in our efforts to keep dangerous weapons off the streets. As a gun owner, I support people's right to bear arms. I also support certain common-sense safeguards that protect families from violence. Declaring the National Firearms Act null and void would also hurt law enforcement's ability to investigate gun violence, so I applaud County Attorney Menefee for filing this amicus brief," said Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. The amicus filing underscores Harris County’s strong interest in preserving the National Firearms Act and its regulatory structure, noting that undoing these provisions would erode law enforcement cooperation, reduce accountability, and place unnecessary burdens on cities and counties working to combat gun violence. |