A federal judge in Seattle has issued a temporary restraining order to stop the release of blueprints to make untraceable and undetectable 3D-printed plastic guns.
Eight Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the federal government’s settlement with the company that makes the plans available online. They also sought a restraining order, arguing the 3D guns would be a safety risk.
U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik issued the order Tuesday afternoon.
The company behind the plans, Austin, Texas-based Defense Distributed, had reached a settlement with the federal government in June that allows it to make the plans for the guns available for download on Wednesday.
The restraining order puts that plan on hold for now.
In the meantime, Congressional Democrats have urged President Trump to reverse the decision to let Defense Distributed publish the plans. Trump said Tuesday that he’s "looking into" the idea, saying making 3D plastic guns available to the public "doesn’t seem to make much sense!"
White House Spokesman Hogan Gidley notes that it’s currently illegal to own or make a wholly plastic gun, including any made with a 3D printer, and says the administration supports that law and "will continue to look at all options available to us to do what is necessary to protect Americans while also supporting the First and Second amendments."
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