FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 3, 2026

SPRINGFIELD, VA — Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) have issued a joint open letter to law enforcement officers, Commonwealth’s Attorneys, and public officials across Virginia—warning that the Commonwealth’s universal background check law remains subject to a statewide permanent injunction and cannot lawfully be enforced unless that injunction is lifted by the court.

The warning comes as Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones seeks to dissolve the permanent injunction entered in Wilson v. Hanley, the landmark lawsuit that resulted in a Virginia circuit court declaring the law unconstitutional and permanently barring its enforcement statewide. GOA, Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), VCDL, and the individual plaintiffs filed their opposition to the Attorney General’s motion on June 2 and will appear in court today to defend the injunction and the constitutional rights of Virginians.

Today’s hearing will take place before Judge Frank Patrick Yeatts at 1:30 pm (EST) at the Lynchburg Circuit Court.

Chris Stone, Director of State Affairs for Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:

“Attorney General Jay Jones is attempting to resurrect Virginia’s unconstitutional ‘universal background check’ scheme after a court already struck it down and permanently blocked its enforcement statewide. That injunction is not a suggestion—it is a binding decision. Our letter makes clear that unless the issuing court or a higher court says otherwise, Virginia officials have no authority to enforce these checks. Any official who ignores that injunction and attempts to enforce this law anyway risks exposing themselves and their agency to serious legal liability.”

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:

“This GOA-VCDL letter serves as a warning to every law enforcement officer and prosecutor in Virginia. The rule of law requires that court orders be obeyed—even by government officials. This open letter explains why Virginia’s universal background check law remains subject to a statewide permanent injunction and why any effort to enforce that statute despite the injunction could expose public officials to serious legal consequences. We urge every public servant in Virginia to honor both their oath to the Constitution and their duty to obey the lawful orders of Virginia courts.”

GOA and its allies successfully challenged Virginia’s universal background check law in 2025, securing a ruling that found the statute unconstitutional, and obtained a permanent injunction prohibiting its enforcement throughout the Commonwealth. The organizations argue that the injunction remains legally binding today and intend to vigorously oppose any effort to resurrect the law through the courts.

The organizations encourage all Virginia public officials to review the court’s orders and the GOA-VCDL open letter before taking any action related to enforcement of the challenged statute.

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization representing over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.