The U.S. Supreme Court has decisively ruled that American gun companies Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms are not liable in a lawsuit brought by Mexico’s government. Mexico had accused the firms of aiding the illegal trafficking of firearms to drug cartels, a claim the high court rejected, emphasizing the protections afforded to the gun industry under U.S. law.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, contended that the gun companies knowingly operated a distribution system that enabled “straw purchasers” to funnel weapons to Mexican drug cartels. Beyond seeking financial redress, Mexico aimed for a court order to compel the companies to implement measures to counteract the “public nuisance” caused by their products.
However, a unanimous Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s decision that had permitted the suit to advance. Justice Elena Kagan’s opinion stated that Mexico’s complaint did not plausibly allege that the companies had “aided and abetted” unlawful sales, citing the comprehensive shield provided by the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
The implications of this ruling extend to the complex geopolitical landscape between the U.S. and Mexico, where issues such as drug flow and migrant arrivals remain hotly contested. For Mexico, the lawsuit represented a critical effort to address the devastating impact of gun violence fueled by weapons trafficked from its northern neighbor.