Attorney General Jennifer Davenport led a coalition of 22 states in submitting a comment letter on May 4 opposing a proposed rule by the United States Postal Service that would allow certain firearms to be mailed across state lines. The letter argues that this proposal could increase the risk of prohibited weapons entering states and make it harder for law enforcement to track gun crimes.
The issue is significant because, for nearly a century, federal law has prevented the Postal Service from mailing concealable firearms. In January, the Department of Justice under the Trump Administration issued an opinion declaring this statute unconstitutional and directed USPS to draft new regulations. According to Davenport and her colleagues, this change undermines longstanding protections and could have wide-ranging effects on public safety.
“The federal government’s refusal to follow a century-old commonsense firearm safety law threatens the rule of law and public safety,” said Attorney General Davenport. “Turning the Postal Service into a tool to ship guns into our states, in violation of our laws, will make it more difficult to keep guns out of the hands of felons and other dangerous people. And it will make it harder for law enforcement to solve gun crimes. The U.S. Postal Service should follow federal law, instead of undermining the safety of our families.”
Davenport’s office has previously taken steps in court defending these restrictions when they were challenged in Shreve v. USPS, currently pending in Pennsylvania federal court after New Jersey joined with New York and Delaware as intervenors.
The multistate letter warns that if implemented, individuals barred from owning firearms—including convicted felons or those subject to restraining orders—could obtain weapons through mail without background checks or oversight required by state laws. This loophole is particularly concerning because unlike private carriers such as UPS, USPS does not have statutory obligations ensuring packages comply with local firearm regulations.
Most crime guns recovered in New Jersey are traced back to out-of-state sellers; losing access to tracing data would raise investigative costs for local agencies already facing budget challenges from economic impacts attributed by officials to recent policy changes at the federal level.
Davenport co-led this initiative alongside attorneys general from New York and Delaware with support from twenty other jurisdictions including California, Illinois, Virginia, Washington State, and others.
According to the official website, the New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin aims to protect residents’ lives and property while upholding legal standards statewide through enforcement efforts and legal support services throughout all counties and municipalities.
The agency also influences public safety by enforcing laws across New Jersey,according to its official website. It holds authority over prosecution matters under its statutory mandate,according to its official website, offers victim advocacy programs,according to its official website, crime lab support services,according to its official website, consumer protection initiatives,according to its official website as part of its broader mission focused on justice throughout New Jersey.
