“Supreme Court wary of Mexico's fight against US gunmakers”, 4 March 2025

The US Supreme Court appears likely to block a lawsuit by Mexico against US gun manufacturers - who are accused of putting vast arsenals of weapons in the hands of drug cartels.

In the long-running lawsuit, Mexico's government argues that the "flood" of illegal guns across the border is a result of "deliberate" practices by US firms.

The gun industry's trade association has denied any wrongdoing and blamed Mexico's government for failing to control crime.

The flow of guns from the US to Mexico has recently emerged as a bargaining chip in talks over the implementation of tariffs on Mexican goods entering the US.

During oral arguments on Tuesday, liberal and conservative justices alike expressed scepticism about Mexico's claims that US guns contribute to criminal networks...

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According to Mexican authorities, tens of thousands of US-manufactured guns are trafficking south across the border each year and into the hands of drug cartels, which use them to fight each other and the Mexican government alike.

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The gun manufacturers, along with support groups such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), have argued that they are legally protected and that a lawsuit would undermine gun rights for Americans.

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At the heart of the gun manufacturers case is a federal law known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, or PLCAA.

The law, enacted in 2005, is designed to protect gun companies from being held liable for the misuse of their weapons by criminals. The Supreme Court case marks the first time the highest court in the US will consider the law.

In court on Tuesday, liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she thought it was likely the PLCAA means that "we don't want the courts to be the ones to be crafting remedies that amount to regulation on this industry"...

Kavanaugh also expressed concerns that penalising companies for the misuse of their products could ultimately impact other industries, such as pharmaceuticals...