Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced his participation in a coalition of 16 attorneys general filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The legal action challenges the ATF's plans to distribute thousands of machinegun conversion devices (MCD) across the United States.
The ATF had previously classified Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs) as machineguns. However, under directives from Trump administration leadership, they signed a settlement agreement halting enforcement of federal law against FRTs and planned to redistribute seized FRTs. This move is contested by the coalition as it violates federal law prohibiting possession of such devices.
Attorney General Ford stated, "If the ATF distributes these devices across the country, not only will the agency run afoul of federal law, it will also put Americans at risk of further gun violence across the country." He emphasized that these devices have no legitimate use in society and contribute to gun violence.
Machinegun conversion devices like FRTs significantly increase a firearm's rate of fire and have been linked to violent crimes and mass shootings. The ATF has reported a rise in incidents involving MCDs, with machine-gun fire incidents increasing by 1,400% from 2019 through 2021.
Despite their prohibition since at least 1975, an estimated 100,000 FRTs have been distributed across the country. These devices are increasingly found at crime scenes.
Lawsuits during the Biden administration sought to enforce or challenge this prohibition. A New York federal judge agreed on their ban under federal law while a Texas judge disagreed; this ruling is currently on appeal.
On May 16, 2025, the Trump administration settled these lawsuits in a manner undermining federal FRT prohibition. The ATF agreed to cease enforcement actions and redistribute previously seized FRTs.
Today's lawsuit aims to prevent this redistribution due to its violation of U.S. law prohibiting ownership of machineguns or conversion devices. The coalition seeks a preliminary injunction against distributing FRT devices that contravene federal law and threaten public safety nationwide.
Joining AG Ford are attorneys general from Delaware, District of Columbia, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.