Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has stirred controversy with her past remarks supporting the use of gun owner databases for police-led firearm confiscation. This proposal, made during a 2019 Democratic primary forum, has reignited fears about government infringement on Second Amendment rights.
After mass shootings in California and Texas, Harris outlined her commitment to stringent gun control measures, including executive action for comprehensive background checks, cracking down on gun dealers, and banning the import of assault weapons. She cited her experience as California’s attorney general, where she authorized police to “knock on the doors of people” on a state list of prohibited gun owners to seize their guns.
“We sent law enforcement out to take those guns because we have to deal with this on all levels,” Harris stated, causing concern among gun rights supporters and constitutionalists.
In March, Harris announced the establishment of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center, designed to support state red flag laws. These laws allow for the temporary seizure of firearms from individuals deemed dangerous through a civil judicial process.
The ERPO initiative has faced strong opposition from nearly 20 GOP state attorneys general, who argue that it violates Second Amendment rights without genuine due process.
They addressed their concerns in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, stating, “The solution to gun violence is not more bureaucracy, and it is certainly not parting otherwise law-abiding men and women from their right to self-defense.”
Despite the opposition, gun control advocates like John Feinblatt of Everytown have lauded Harris’s efforts. Feinblatt praised her role in the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, where she focused on eliminating gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, banning assault weapons, and expanding background checks.
However, Harris’s stance seems to be evolving. Unnamed advisers have indicated that she no longer supports a mandatory buyback of civilian-owned assault weapons, marking a shift from her 2020 campaign policies.
