DOJ Creates New Process To Restore Federal Gun Rights For Some Offenders
The Justice Department on August 17, 2026, issued a final rule creating a federal process to restore firearms rights for some people barred under federal law, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced.[1]
Applicants must document the reason they were barred and show they are unlikely to pose a public-safety danger, with DOJ weighing their criminal record, reputation and conduct since the prohibition.[1] The rule says people convicted of violent felonies, registered sex offenders and people in the country illegally are presumptively ineligible, and any relief would restore federal but not state gun rights.[1]
The department framed the rule as a new administrative avenue for federal restoration that does not affect state bans.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On August 17, 2026, Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a final DOJ rule launching a federal firearms-rights restoration process.
- Applicants must establish the circumstances of their firearms prohibition and demonstrate they are not likely to pose a public-safety danger, with DOJ considering their record, reputation and subsequent conduct.
- DOJ said violent felons, registered sex offenders, illegal immigrants and others presenting ongoing danger are presumptively ineligible, and any relief restores only federal, not state, gun rights.
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