President Joe Biden unveiled a series of executive actions this week aimed at limiting access to firearms and tightening regulations on who can purchase and own them. Compared to the extreme gun control measures Biden has been talking about, these policies are much more subdued. But it’s clear this is just the beginning of a much broader, more restrictive agenda.
There are six new policies Biden plans to roll out. First, the Justice Department will create model “red flag” laws for states. These are also known as “gun violence restraining orders.” There are good arguments for red flag laws, which target lawbreakers with restrictions on their freedom that are narrowly tailored to protecting the innocent. This is rightly a state matter — it’s fitting that Biden isn’t proposing federal red flag laws.
