What started as a shocking court order that could have forced major gun rights groups to turn over their member lists to the federal government has now been vacated.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), joined by the Louisiana Shooting Association and several private citizens, had faced an unprecedented demand in their ongoing case, Reese v. ATF.
The case challenges the federal law that bans licensed firearm dealers from selling handguns and handgun ammunition to adults under 21.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays—at the request of the Department of Justice—ordered SAF and FPC to provide the government with “a verified list of their members” to enforce the judgment. The order immediately raised alarms across the gun community, with critics calling it a backdoor gun registry attempt.
But as of October 14, 2025, that order is off the table. The court vacated the requirement after SAF, FPC, and DOJ jointly filed a motion to amend the judgment.
“We had no intention of releasing any private membership data and were prepared to take all necessary steps to ensure our member list was not disclosed to the government,” said SAF Director of Legal Operations Bill Sack. “Luckily, the court responded to our joint motion promptly and vacated its original order.”
The court will now hold a phone conference to clarify the proper scope of relief, but for now, no group is required to hand over any names.
SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb was blunt about the principle at stake:
“It’s preposterous to think we would release any type of member data to anyone. We’re thankful the court saw its error… We will never release the private data of SAF supporters to the government, full stop. That’s akin to letting the proverbial fox in the henhouse.”
The lawsuit itself remains a key front in the national debate over whether 18- to 20-year-olds can legally purchase handguns.
Earlier this year, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with SAF and FPC, ruling that the handgun ban violates the Second Amendment. A conflicting ruling from the Fourth Circuit has created a circuit split, making it likely the issue will eventually head to the U.S. Supreme Court.
For now, gun owners can breathe a little easier knowing that no membership data will be handed to the government, but the broader constitutional fight is far from over.
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