Trump administration challenges Colorado large-capacity magazine ban in court

The Trump administration sued Colorado over its law restricting large-capacity magazines for rifles a day after it sued Denver over its assault weapons ban.

The lawsuit, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice Wednesday in the Denver-based U.S. district court, says the state’s restrictions on magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds violate the Second Amendment rights of Coloradans.

“Colorado’s ban on certain magazines is political virtue signaling at the expense of Americans’ constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “Under my direction, the Division’s Second Amendment Section will continue to defend law-abiding Americans’ rights against unconstitutional restrictions on their right to possess arms which are owned by tens of millions of their fellow citizens.”

Last week, Dhillon wrote to Denver and Colorado officials saying the department would file lawsuits if they did not voluntarily comply with demands to cease enforcement of bans on semiautomatic rifles and large-capacity magazines by 5 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday. Denver City Attorney Miko Brown responded, calling the request “baseless, irresponsible, and a clear overreach of the federal government’s power.” The department filed a lawsuit against the city ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/05/07/repub/trump-administration-challenges-colorado-large-capacity-magazine-ban-in-court/