OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 22 attorneys general, today submitted a comment letter opposing an unlawful proposal by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to allow anyone to ship a handgun — without the involvement of a licensed firearms dealer — across or within state borders by mail. For almost one hundred years, federal law has barred this unregulated shipment of handguns through USPS. In January 2026, the Trump Administration decided to stop defending the federal law — 18 U.S.C. § 1715 — against a constitutional challenge filed by gun rights groups and instead issued an opinion that the statute is unconstitutional. On April 2, the USPS published a proposed rule to conform with this opinion even though the Trump Administration cannot unilaterally direct the USPS to violate a valid federal law. 

“Once again, the Trump Administration is recklessly disregarding the safety of the people it is sworn to serve. We cannot ignore the dangerous consequences of this proposed rule, which could open the door for prohibited individuals to obtain weapons without background checks or regard for state firearms laws,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This irresponsible loophole blatantly disregards public safety and would create a direct strain on state resources. At a time when budgets are already under pressure, we should be investing in safeguards, not creating new pathways for illegal firearms to reach our communities.”

The comment letter explains that the longstanding federal law restricting the mailing of handguns via USPS is constitutional, and the executive branch cannot unilaterally permit conduct Congress has prohibited since 1927. The letter also adds that allowing individuals to send handguns through the mail without going through a licensed seller will make it easier for prohibited persons like felons and domestic abusers to access handguns, including illegal handguns. It will also make it more difficult and more expensive for states to solve gun crimes, reducing the effectiveness of law enforcement tracing tools.

Attorney General Bonta was joined by the Attorneys General of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia in signing the letter.

Here is a copy of the comment letter.