Supreme Court Blocks Mexico’s $10B Lawsuit Against U.S. Gunmakers

On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit against major American gun makers could not proceed under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). Writing for the Court, Justice Elena Kagan said PLCAA provides broad immunity to gun makers for harms resulting from the criminal misuse of their products.

Mexico initially filed the suit in 2021 against manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt and Glock, as well as a distributor, and sought $10 billion in damages as well as court-ordered safety protocols and sales restrictions. The government alleged that loose controls at US gun manufacturers allowed guns to be smuggled illegally across the southern border, fueling cartel violence throughout Mexico.

On her own behalf, Justice Kagan held that Mexico had not plausibly alleged that any manufacturer knowingly participated in particular criminal sales. She continued that knowingly selling to some dealers who will divert guns illegally does not constitute "aiding and abetting" under PLCAA's predicate exception, which requires a "conscious … and culpable participation" in crime.

U.S.-origin firearms continue to flow into Mexico at alarming rates. An estimated 200,000 to 500,000 guns cross the border illegally each year, a flow that's often referred to as the "iron river." Roughly half of all firearms recovered at Mexican crime scenes are U.S.-made, and Mexican authorities estimate that around 70% of guns used by cartels originate in the United States.

Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "strongly disagrees" with the Supreme Court decision and vowed to pursue additional legal and diplomatic avenues to halt weapons trafficking. President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico is awaiting a ruling in a second lawsuit filed in Arizona against several U.S. gun stores and distributors. Gun manufacturers, however, welcomed the ruling as a win for congressional intent and American sovereignty, with Smith & Wesson describing it as a "big win for the weapons industry and the rule of law".

Although the Supreme Court's decision closes the book on this well-publicized case, legal and advocacy groups in both countries promise to continue seeking accountability for the trafficking of firearms that fuel cartel violence. Mexico has already filed similar lawsuits in Arizona, and groups like Giffords Law Center pledge to continue standing with survivors on both sides of the border in their search for justice.