Federal Appeals Court Allows Mexico's Lawsuit Against US Gun Manufacturers to Proceed

The lawsuit, alleging that US gun manufacturers contribute to gun violence in Mexico, was previously dismissed under a law providing immunity to these companies.

A federal appeals court has ruled that Mexico can proceed with a lawsuit against several US gun manufacturers, overturning a previous dismissal by a lower court.
The lawsuit, filed by Mexico in 2021, alleges that gun manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Colt, and Glock, contribute to gun violence in Mexico by facilitating the trafficking of their weapons across the border.
The lower court had dismissed the case citing the Protection of Law Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which typically provides immunity to gun manufacturers from liability. However, the appeals court found that Mexico's claims could be 'statutorily exempt' from this law.
Mexico claims that over 500,000 guns are trafficked annually from the US into Mexico, with more than 68% made by the companies it sued. This trafficking, Mexico argues, has significantly contributed to its ranking third worldwide in the number of gun-related deaths.
The gun manufacturers deny wrongdoing, and their lawyers argue that Mexico's lawsuit lacks allegations that would create an exception to the PLCAA's protections.