US Supreme Court to weigh assault‑weapon bans in major Second Amendment case

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two consolidated cases that will determine the constitutionality of state bans on modern semiautomatic firearms. The cases — Viramontes v. Cook County, challenging Illinois' ban, and Grant v. Higgins, challenging Connecticut's ban — were filed by the Second Amendment Foundation together with the Firearms Policy Coalition and private citizens.

Advocates for gun rights, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation, say the Court’s review could affirm the legality of assault‑weapon ownership. Gun‑control groups such as the Brady campaign warn that the rulings could cement broader restrictions. The decisions are expected to set a nationwide precedent on how the Second Amendment applies to so‑called “assault weapons.”