“The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is part of U.S. sovereign territory, but it bans handguns, bans importing handguns into the commonwealth and limits possession of any guns by non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents.” Not any more. The US District Court for the Mariana Islands applied the same Second Amendment that applies in the rest of the 57 states and various territories in striking down the nation’s last handgun ban. “The court also strikes down . . .

“the ban on importing handguns, because the ban makes handguns essentially unavailable: ‘In the Commonwealth, the import ban on handguns can only operate as a sales ban on a constitutionally protected product. The import ban on handguns and their ammunition is unconstitutional and violates the Covenant; Defendants will be enjoined from enforcing it.’”

And with that, the last official handgun ban in the US is thrown on the ash heap of history. At least until President Clinton appoints the next Supreme Court judge an the battles resume in full. Never give up…never surrender.

[h/t LB]