An image of confiscated firearms (Department of Justice)
"Illegal crime guns increasingly originate from every state in the country. This is not a southwest border problem, it is a national threat," Cekada said in a statement. "ATF agents are aggressively targeting gangs, cartels and transnational criminal organizations that illegally traffic firearms and turn American streets into war zones."
The ATF said its seizures included intercepting 4,359 guns and more than 648,000 rounds of ammunition that were headed for Mexico, where authorities said they would have been used by violent gangs and drug cartels.
Table of seized firearms (Department of Justice)
ATF agents use ballistics and tracing databases and DNA evidence to investigate the guns’ origins with the aim of uncovering their supply chains and identifying potential offenders. The seized guns are typically returned to their rightful owners or eventually destroyed.
The surge in such seizures comes amid scrutiny over how the administration is balancing its enforcement authorities with Second Amendment protections.
Seized firearms at ATF Denver (Department of Justice)
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The Trump administration recently drew criticism from gun rights groups after top officials initially justified immigration officers killing a Minnesota man because he appeared to be legally carrying a firearm. Likewise, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro recently warned that people who bring guns into Washington, D.C., were "going to jail," spurring backlash from Second Amendment advocates like Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., who said he brings a gun into D.C. weekly with a valid permit.
The ATF noted its agents were focused not on lawful gun commerce, but rather on traffickers who arm gang members, drug cartels, illegal immigrants, terrorist organizations and other people prohibited from owning guns.
Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, covering the Justice Department and legal affairs. Email story tips to ashley.oliver@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/atf-seizes-36k-guns-trump-administration-shifts-focus-from-biden-priorities-cartels-street-crime