Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

ATF Invites FFLs Zeroed Out Under Biden-Harris to Reapply

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

ATF Invites FFLs Zeroed Out Under Biden-Harris to Reapply

Among all the infringements of the Second Amendment perpetrated by the Biden-Harris regime, one of the most punitive and consequential was ATF’s “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). This scheme turned routine inspections of FFLs into a reign of terror that could end longstanding, legitimate businesses over simple paperwork or procedural errors. Adding to the persecutory nature of this campaign was the fact that the administration was simultaneously trying to require more and more gun sellers to be licensed. Thus, unlicensed sellers risked going to prison (or worse), while licensed sellers could be shut down over harmless mistakes. Fortunately, the Biden-Harris war on gun sales ended with the election of President Trump, under whose watch ATF ended zero tolerance FFL inspections.

That was a positive start and the beginning of a possible healing of the rift between American’s licensed gun businesses and the agency that is supposed to provide oversight (rather than summary execution) of them.

 On May 21, however, ATF went a step further and announced that “Federal firearms licensees that surrendered their licenses, had their licenses revoked, or had their applications denied based on the [zero tolerance program] may reapply.” ATF will “review new applications and all pending licensing matters under the new administrative action policy,” which provides a fairer and more wholistic assessment of alleged instances of noncompliance.

ATF credited President Trump’s Feb. 7, 2025, Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights as the basis for terminating zero tolerance, implementing a fairer enforcement policy, and reexamining the prior adverse licensing actions. It encouraged individuals with questions about how this announcement applies to prior decisions to “contact their local ATF field office or email [email protected].”

Ending zero tolerance was one of NRA-ILA’s highest priority agenda items for President Trump’s second term. In a memorandum to the administration containing suggestions for implementing the Protecting Second Amendment Rights Executive Order, NRA-ILA wrote:

ATF’s enhanced regulatory enforcement policy should be formally repudiated by the current administration. Those who tried to justify “inherent” willfulness should have no further role in crafting ATF enforcement policies or making legal determinations on behalf of the agency. There should also be a review of FFLs that were revoked under this policy, and cases that did not involve a proper application of “willfulness” or involved inadvertent mistakes posing no material risk to public safety should be reopened. Going forward, ATF must enforce a proper standard of willfulness that requires the agency to carry its burden to establish this element under the specific facts of each case.

Happily, all these things have now come to pass. Not only has ATF ended zero tolerance, replaced it with a more reasonable standard, and invited FFLs adversely affected by it to reapply, it has parted ways with several senior officials previously involved in crafting its legal policy. This includes the former acting director, chief counsel, and senior policy counsel. We also reported last week how DOJ ended another overreaching ATF enforcement effort by settling the outstanding legal cases involving Rare Breed and other parties involved in ATF’s forced reset trigger crackdown. ATF additionally took the recent step of removing a politically inspired display curated by gun control activists from its D.C. headquarters, further reinforcing that it is getting back to focusing on dangerous criminals, rather than anti-gun virtue signaling.

To be sure, ATF will not re-earn the trust of the American public overnight. Nevertheless, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi are taking proactive steps to reform the troubled agency and reassure gun owners and businesses that the ATF is retraining its sights on the bad guys.

We look forward to reporting on further developments in this unfolding story.

TRENDING NOW
CBS Report: Chicago’s Responsible Gun Owners Wrongfully Arrested, Charged

News  

Monday, October 27, 2025

CBS Report: Chicago’s Responsible Gun Owners Wrongfully Arrested, Charged

The Windy City has its fair share of problems, but a lack of violent criminals isn’t one of them, as anyone who takes a moment to look through local crime news source CWB Chicago knows for a ...

Major Digital Currency’s Terms of Use Prohibit Firearm and Ammunition Sales

News  

Monday, October 20, 2025

Major Digital Currency’s Terms of Use Prohibit Firearm and Ammunition Sales

So much of the energy surrounding the digital currency space has been aimed at bringing forth a new liberty. 

NRA-ILA Files Comments on DOJ’s Relief from Disabilities Rulemaking

News  

Monday, October 27, 2025

NRA-ILA Files Comments on DOJ’s Relief from Disabilities Rulemaking

Last Monday, NRA-ILA (ILA) filed comments in response to a proposed rulemaking by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to revive the government’s “relief from disabilities” program for people categorically prohibited from acquiring or possessing firearms. 

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Friday, October 24, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Last week the North Carolina General Assembly briefly returned from recess and re-referred Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to the House Rules Committee.

Trump Continues Commitment to Gun Owners

News  

Monday, October 27, 2025

Trump Continues Commitment to Gun Owners

We’ve covered the numerous ways in which President Donald Trump has used his office to defend or advance our rights protected under the Second Amendment. 

Taxpayer-Funded Orgs Bankroll Ad Council “Children” and Firearms Propaganda

News  

Monday, October 27, 2025

Taxpayer-Funded Orgs Bankroll Ad Council “Children” and Firearms Propaganda

The idiot box has been living up to the nickname.

NRA-ILA Files Reply Brief Pressing the U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Its Challenge to the NFA’s Restrictions on Short-Barreled Rifles

Thursday, October 23, 2025

NRA-ILA Files Reply Brief Pressing the U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Its Challenge to the NFA’s Restrictions on Short-Barreled Rifles

Today, the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) filed a Reply Brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a challenge to the National Firearms Act of 1934’s restrictions on short-barreled rifles in a ...

From Printers to Panic: Everytown Summit on “3D Printed Firearms” Targets Progress

News  

Monday, October 27, 2025

From Printers to Panic: Everytown Summit on “3D Printed Firearms” Targets Progress

Recently, Everytown for Gun Safety hosted a 3D Printed Firearms Summit in New York City with the goal being to “build cross-sector collaboration and chart actionable strategies to stem the tide of 3D-printed firearm (3DPF) related violence.” 

Urban Crime Spike “the Most Overlooked U.S. Crime Story in Recent Years”

News  

Monday, October 20, 2025

Urban Crime Spike “the Most Overlooked U.S. Crime Story in Recent Years”

It was a standard talking point of the Biden White House that violent crime had dropped by record levels under the Biden-Harris administration, attributed in part to its support of gun control measures.

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging California’s Glock Ban

Monday, October 13, 2025

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging California’s Glock Ban

Today, the National Rifle Association—along with Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Poway Weapons & Gear, and two NRA members—filed a lawsuit challenging California’s Glock ban.

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.