Second Amendment sanctuary

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

A Second Amendment sanctuary, or gun sanctuary, is a state, county, or city that passes laws or resolutions to block or limit how federal gun rules are enforced when they believe those rules violate the Second Amendment. The idea comes from the broader sanctuary-movement, which includes places that limit cooperation with federal policies they don’t agree with. The term was first used by a Maryland county in 2013 and became more popular after an Illinois county did so in 2018.

These measures can be formal laws or simpler proclamations. They often say local officials will not help enforce certain federal gun laws or regulations, or that they will prioritize state law over conflicting federal rules. In practice, most of these actions are symbolic and do not create strong legal barriers. Federal law still applies, and courts have sometimes rejected these sanctuary efforts. For example, a Virginia attorney general said sanctuary resolutions have no legal force, and a federal judge struck down Missouri’s sanctuary law in 2023.

States and localities across the country have pursued sanctuary measures, and many sheriffs or police chiefs have expressed support or pledged not to enforce certain gun-control measures under specific circumstances. Some places also pass related protections, such as open-carry rules or anti‑red‑flag provisions. The movement reflects strong support for gun rights in many parts of the United States, but its practical effect is limited and frequently debated in courts and among lawmakers.