Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act

Bill Number

H.R. 2698

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-04-07: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.

Last Updated

2026-07-09T13:27:22Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act" (H.R. 2698) aims to strengthen homeland security by directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop strategies, assessments, and reports focused on countering threats from ghost guns. Ghost guns are privately made firearms that lack serial numbers, making them hard to trace (as defined in federal regulations). The bill addresses risks like terrorism, targeted violence (planned attacks on specific individuals or groups), and cross-border crime without imposing new gun control laws.

Key Provisions

The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 by adding a new section (890E) that requires DHS to take specific actions within set timelines:

• DHS-Wide Strategy (Section 890E(a)): Within one year of enactment, the DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans must issue a department-wide plan to prevent, prepare for, and respond to ghost gun threats. This plan must outline internal DHS activities and ways to improve information sharing and collaboration with federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners.

• Cross-Border Threat Assessment (Section 890E(b)): Within 180 days, the DHS Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), must create and share a threat assessment on U.S.-sourced ghost guns and partially complete frames or receivers (key gun parts that are unfinished or nonfunctional). It focuses on threats to U.S. borders from transnational criminal organizations (groups operating across countries involved in illegal activities like smuggling).

• U.S. Secret Service Research (Section 890E(c)): Within one year, the Secret Service Director, through the National Threat Assessment Center, must conduct research and release public reports (in coordination with other federal agencies) on preventing, preparing for, and responding to ghost gun-related threats like terrorism or targeted violence.

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Reporting (Section 890E(d)): Starting one year after enactment and annually thereafter, TSA must report to Congress on violations of rules prohibiting firearms at airport passenger screening checkpoints. Reports include data on incidents involving ghost guns, repeat offenses, expedited screening cases, trends per passenger, and TSA efforts to raise public awareness of the ban.

• ICE Activities (Section 890E(e)): Within one year, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations must:
• Analyze threats and smuggling patterns of U.S.-sourced firearms (including ghost guns) recovered in Mexico, using data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and others.
• Create a system to share aggregated (summarized, non-individual) federal data on these firearms to support the DHS strategy.
• Develop measures to evaluate ICE's effectiveness in combating these threats.

• Intelligence and Analysis Reports (Section 890E(f)): Within 180 days and annually thereafter, the DHS Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, consulting with the FBI, must produce reports on ghost gun threats linked to foreign terrorist organizations (groups designated by the U.S. as supporting terrorism abroad) or individuals planning terrorism or targeted violence. Reports cover acquisition sources, threat types, and risk levels. They must be shared with law enforcement (including fusion centers, which are hubs for sharing threat information) and congressional committees, while protecting sensitive data.

• Definitions (Section 890E(g)): The bill defines key terms like "act of terrorism" (violent acts dangerous to human life that violate U.S. laws and appear intended to intimidate or coerce), "domestic terrorism" (similar acts within the U.S.), "firearm" (standard federal definition), and others to ensure clarity.

A clerical update adds the new section to the Act's table of contents.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces an entirely new section (890E) to Subtitle H of Title VIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which previously focused on general homeland security policies but did not specifically address ghost guns. It does not alter gun ownership laws or ATF regulations but expands DHS's role in threat assessment and coordination. No existing provisions are repealed or directly modified beyond this addition.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: DHS components (e.g., Secret Service, TSA, ICE, Intelligence and Analysis) will face new reporting, research, and collaboration requirements, potentially increasing workload and resource needs for data sharing and analysis. This could enhance inter-agency coordination on gun-related threats.

• On Citizens: Greater focus on airport security and public awareness may lead to stricter enforcement of firearm bans at checkpoints, affecting travelers. Indirectly, improved threat prevention could reduce risks from terrorism or violence involving untraceable guns.

• On International Relations: Emphasis on U.S.-sourced ghost guns recovered in Mexico could strengthen U.S.-Mexico cooperation on border security and anti-smuggling efforts, potentially aiding joint operations against transnational crime but raising questions about U.S. export controls on gun parts.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• DHS and Federal Agencies: Primary implementers, including DHS leadership, CBP, ICE, Secret Service, TSA, ATF, and FBI, who must produce reports and share data.
• Law Enforcement Partners: State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials, including fusion centers, who will receive threat assessments to inform operations.
• Congressional Committees: House and Senate panels on intelligence, homeland security, and judiciary, which oversee and receive reports.
• Border and Travel Communities: U.S. citizens and visitors at airports or borders, impacted by enhanced screening and awareness campaigns.
• Transnational Actors: Criminal organizations and terrorist groups, targeted as threats through better tracking of ghost guns.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The bill builds on existing federal definitions (e.g., from the U.S. Code and regulations) without creating new crimes or regulations, focusing instead on intelligence and strategy. It mandates data sharing while requiring protection of classified information, aligning with privacy laws like those governing fusion centers.

• Constitutional: No direct challenges apparent; it supports the government's role in national security under Article I (Congress's power to regulate commerce and provide for defense) and does not infringe on Second Amendment rights, as it addresses threats rather than restricting lawful gun making or ownership.

• Political: Positions DHS as a key player in gun violence prevention through a security lens, potentially bridging partisan divides on firearms by emphasizing terrorism and border threats over domestic regulation. It may spark debate on resource allocation for gun tracing versus broader priorities.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

Cosponsors (15)

Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo [D-PR-At Large], Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]

Recent Actions

• 2025-04-07: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
• 2025-04-07: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
• 2025-04-07: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-04-07: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-04-07: Introduced in House
• 2025-04-07: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act — issued 2025-04-07 — PDF (9 pages)