Court Halts Downloadable Blueprints For 3D-Printed Guns: POLL

A federal judge in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday that stops the release of blueprints for 3D-printed plastic guns. Nine attorneys general, including New York’s Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood, filed suit to block the distribution of online files that could be used to make the plastic guns.

After the ruling was issued, Underwood said on Twitter that it was a “nationwide” order. In every state, the Trump administration is now blocked from allowing the distribution of 3D-printing plans for guns.

“We’ve won a major victory for common sense and public safety,” she said.

“It is, simply, crazy to give criminals the tools to build untraceable, undetectable 3D-printed guns at the touch of a button,” Underwood said when the suit was filed. “We won’t stand by as New Yorkers’ safety is jeopardized by the abrupt about-ace by the federal government.”

Defense Distributed, which is dedicated to distributing open-source, 3D-printed gun blueprints, sued the federal government in 2015 after the U.S. State Department forced the removal of the instruction manuals from the internet.

The government argued the manuals violated firearm export laws. After appeals in lower courts, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

On June 29, the federal government settled the case, allowing the downloadable guns for unlimited public distribution in any form — in effect giving anyone with a 3D printer access to these kind of weapons.

The Trump administration now maintains that it supports a 30-year-old existing law that makes it illegal to make or own homemade plastic guns, CNN.com said.

What do you think about the prospect of being able to use a 3D printer to make yourself a gun? Vote in our unscientific poll and leave a comment below.

Photo Credit: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File.