WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday threw out the Mexican government’s lawsuit against U.S. firearms manufacturers accusing them of aiding and abetting gun violence.
The court ruled unanimously in a ruling authored by Justice Elena Kagan that the lawsuit is barred by a 2005 federal law that shields gun companies from legal liability.
The 2021 lawsuit accused Smith & Wesson, Colt and other companies of deliberately selling guns to dealers who sell products that are frequently recovered at Mexican crime scenes.
The Mexican government accused the companies of “aiding and abetting” violations of U.S. law, which they had argued means the gun makers were not protected by the federal immunity shield, called the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Mexico is seeking up to $10 billion in damages.
The case at the Supreme Court involved two companies — Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms. Other manufacturers, including Glock and Colt, successfully had claims against them tossed out.
A federal judge initially ruled for the manufacturers, but the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived the case last year, saying the liability shield did not extend to Mexico’s specific claims.
The case reached the Supreme Court following increased tensions between American and Mexican leaders after the election of President Donald Trump, who has cited drug trafficking and gang violence in Mexico amid his crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Democrats in Congress have introduced legislation intended to reduce the flow of guns across the border, which they estimate to total at least 200,000 a year.
