The number of Firearm Owners ID card holders in Illinois is on the rise, and a significant portion of them are preparing to rally in Springfield.
Gun owners from all over Illinois are eagerly preparing to travel to the state’s capital city on April 18th. Their purpose is to engage with lawmakers and voice their opposition to further gun control measures.
Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day has been an annual event that attracts gun owners from all over the state. Participants gather for a series of inspiring speeches, followed by a spirited march through downtown Springfield, culminating in a rally at the Illinois State Capitol. The event also provides an opportunity for attendees to engage in meaningful discussions and lobbying efforts with legislators.
According to Richard Pearson, the Executive Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, there is a growing interest in the issue, and lawmakers should pay attention to it.
According to Pearson, it is crucial to inform others that gun owners are active participants in the political landscape and are determined to make their voices heard in the upcoming election. He emphasizes the need to make it known that they are a presence that cannot be ignored, and that their numbers are increasing.
The number of FOID card holders in Illinois has increased to 2,473,655, which is almost 60,000 more than the previous totals reported by the Illinois State Police. However, the agency has not yet provided an update on the total number of registrations for firearms, attachments, and magazines that were banned in January 2023. The most recent numbers available are from Jan. 31, 2024, which was one month after the deadline to register banned items.
One way individuals can address what they perceive as violations of their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is by engaging in lobbying efforts with lawmakers. Another avenue is through the legal system, including filing appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge Illinois’ gun ban.
“We have a case from Maryland and another one from California,” he mentioned. “It seems likely that they will consolidate these cases and hear them together.”
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court received briefs from 29 states, urging them to consider the case that challenges Illinois’ gun and magazine ban.
The issue at hand is whether the Second Amendment is violated by Illinois’ broad prohibition on commonly used and historically lawful firearms.
According to them, the ruling made by the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in the Barnett v. Raoul gun ban challenge is illogical and goes against the law. They strongly believe that millions of law-abiding Americans should have the right to own firearms, and the court’s determination that “militaristic” weapons are not protected is both incorrect and unlawful.
According to Pearson, the case could potentially be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in May, and a ruling may be expected sometime during the summer.
Illinois residents are facing legal challenges not only against the state’s gun ban but also against the requirement of possessing a FOID card. The Illinois State Police issues the FOID card, which is necessary for residents to buy or own firearms and ammunition.
According to Pearson, a recent federal ruling allowing illegal immigrants to possess firearms suggests that the FOID (Firearm Owner’s Identification) should be invalidated.
According to Pearson, the counter attack on the FOID card is based on the idea that if they don’t need it, then we don’t need it either.
Earlier this month, Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, a federal judge in the Northern District of Illinois, ruled in favor of Heriberto Carbajal-Flores. Carbajal-Flores, a foreign national residing in the U.S. without legal status, had been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. In her ruling, Judge Coleman determined that the law in question violated the Second Amendment, specifically in this particular case.
According to the ISP, individuals seeking a FOID card must affirm that they are not unlawfully present in the United States as an alien.