Gun Owners of America and the Gun Owners Foundation have filed a federal lawsuit against the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands and its police commissioner, challenging the territory's laws regarding concealed carry permits. The lawsuit, filed this week, seeks to allow nonresidents to apply for and obtain licenses to carry concealed handguns within the U.S. territory.
According to the suit, a Florida resident and member of Gun Owners of America, Sean Dale Henry, has repeatedly attempted to contact the U.S. Virgin Islands police department to apply for a license but has been unsuccessful. The lawsuit states that Henry plans to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands multiple times in the coming months and wishes to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense.
"The Second Amendment doesn't end at the shoreline," Luis Valdes, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ outreach director for Gun Owners of America, said in a statement. "Americans don't lose their constitutional rights simply because they travel to a U.S. territory."
This marks the second lawsuit challenging the U.S. Virgin Islands' gun laws. In December, the U.S. Justice Department sued the territory, alleging it systematically denied citizens their right to possess and carry firearms. The Justice Department cited local laws requiring applicants to demonstrate a "good reason to fear death or great injury" and to have "two credible persons" vouch for their need for a firearm.
At that time, the U.S. Virgin Islands government stated its commitment to "protecting constitutional rights while maintaining public safety." In a February court filing, the territory's government accused the U.S. government of acting with "unclean hands" and of infringing on citizens' rights through its own law enforcement practices.
That case remains ongoing.