Full Breakdown
USPS Proposal to Mail Handguns Sparks Multi-State Opposition
5/8/2026, 7:38:44 AM
Proposed Rule
The USPS proposed on April 2 2026 to allow handguns—pistols, revolvers and other concealable firearms—to be mailed, requiring the sender to ship to themselves and the recipient to open the package. The proposal follows a Department of Justice opinion in January 2026 that declared the 1927 statute barring such shipments unconstitutional, asserting the Second Amendment precludes the Postal Service from refusing to ship “constitutionally protected firearms.” The DOJ instructed USPS to revise its regulations.
Criticism & Opposition
Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia, led by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, signed a comment letter opposing the rule. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joined a coalition of 24 other state attorneys general. The letter argues the 1927 law is constitutional and that the rule would let felons, domestic abusers and persons under restraining orders obtain guns without background checks. NRA’s lobbying arm, John Commerford, called the proposal a “key victory” that would let law-abiding owners ship handguns under the same “commonsense safety conditions” as rifles and shotguns.
Official Statements & Responses
Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL) wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner, warning that the rule could “exacerbate crime” by bypassing federal background checks and state firearm regulations. He requested details on security protocols and theft prevention. Critics note that USPS lacks a statutory mechanism to verify compliance with state licensing or background-check requirements, creating a risk of a “gun trafficking pipeline,” adding budget pressures for tracking, and leaving a regulatory gap compared with private carriers.
Conflicting Interpretations
The DOJ says the 1927 prohibition violates the Second Amendment; the attorneys-general coalition says the statute is constitutional and the executive cannot unilaterally change congressional law. No data on projected mailed handgun volumes or enforcement details have been released.
What’s Next
USPS will review comments and issue a final rule after the early-May deadline and after responding to Frost’s questions. States have signaled possible legal challenges if the rule is adopted.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The U.S. Postal Service should not be used as a loophole for criminals to bypass Michigan law and flood our streets with untraceable firearms,” — Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General
- “This unneeded proposal by the postal service will undo some of the hard work Nevada and other states have done to curb the epidemic of gun violence,” — Aaron Ford, Nevada Attorney General
- “Thanks to President Trump and his administration, USPS will finally allow these firearms to be shipped under the same commonsense safety conditions as rifles and shotguns,” — John Commerford, Executive Director, NRA lobbying arm
- “while stripping law enforcement of the tools they need to prevent and investigate gun crime.” — John Feinblatt, President, Everytown for Gun Safety
