Newly-elected Virginia state Democrats are making good on their campaign promise to enact stricter gun control laws. But not everyone in the state is willing to accept the proposed assault weapons ban, and the result has been a massive internal conflict that’s pitted legislators against the people they’re supposed to represent.

In response to new gun control measures, dozens of Virginia counties have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuary counties and vowed not to force their residents to hand over weapons, no matter what Richmond says.