By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined forces with Attorneys General from 15 other states to stop the federal government from releasing thousands of illegal machine gun conversion devices, according to a press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office.
The lawsuit targets the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for a recent settlement agreement, made under the Trump Administration, that allows the distribution of Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs).
NJ officials said these devices can convert standard firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing up to 20 rounds per second.
Although the ATF previously classified FRTs as illegal machine guns, the new settlement halts enforcement of that ban and authorizes the return of seized devices.
The lawsuit argues that this violates federal law, which prohibits the possession of machine guns and similar conversion tools.
“Forced reset triggers turn firearms into machine guns that can fire hundreds of rounds a minute, and they do not belong in civilian hands,” Platkin stated. “We will not allow these devices to be redistributed into our communities.”
The complaint highlights the growing use of machine gun conversion devices in violent crimes and mass shootings, citing a 1,400% increase in their use between 2019 and 2021.
The coalition is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the ATF from carrying out the agreement and releasing the devices.
Attorneys General say the redistribution poses a direct threat to public safety and would undermine both federal and state gun laws.