Gun Owners of America and the Gun Owners Foundation filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Virgin Islands and its police commissioner, challenging the territory's firearm licensing requirements. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands, argues that current regulations violate the Second Amendment by imposing what the plaintiffs characterize as an overly restrictive and discretionary application process for concealed carry permits.
The complaint centers on the case of a Florida resident who sought a non-resident concealed carry license in the territory. Under existing Virgin Islands law, applicants must demonstrate a "good reason" or "proper cause" for carrying a firearm, and the police commissioner maintains broad authority to grant or deny permits. The plaintiffs argue these requirements are inconsistent with recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, such as New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, which limited the ability of states to require specific justifications for firearm permits.
This legal action is the second recent challenge to the territory's gun laws. A separate lawsuit filed earlier this year also targets the Virgin Islands' licensing procedures and fees. Representatives for the U.S. Virgin Islands government and the police department have not yet issued a formal response to the latest filing. Territorial officials have historically defended the regulations as measures intended to manage public safety in the islands.