The battle over the meaning of “the people” in the Second Amendment just got a big update. In a unanimous 3-0 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled this week that illegal aliens have no constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
This landmark case—United States v. Carbajal-Flores—was brought after Heriberto Carbajal-Flores, a Mexican citizen unlawfully in the U.S., was arrested for firing a pistol in Chicago during the 2020 riots. He argued that the Second Amendment protected his right to carry a gun for self-defense.
The court disagreed, finding that America’s tradition of tying gun rights to loyalty and citizenship stretches all the way back to the Founding Era—and even earlier.
What the Court Actually Said
By Ammoland Editors & Staff

