Eight states are filing suit against the Trump administration over its decision to allow a Texas company to publish downloadable blueprints for a 3D-printed gun, contending the hard-to-trace plastic weapons are a boon to terrorists and criminals and threaten public safety.

The suit, filed on Monday in Seattle, asks a judge to block the federal government's late June settlement with Defense Distributed, which allowed the company to make the plans available online.

Officials say that 1,000 people have already downloaded blueprints for AR-15 rifles.

"The Trump administration recently choose to give access to potentially untraceable and undetectable firearms to any felon, domestic abuser or terrorist with a laptop and access to a 3D printer," said Bob Ferguson, Washington State Attorney General.

"Let me be clear," he continued, "no background check, no waiting period, no serial number. Some of these 3D printed guns are made with materials that will not set off a metal detector."

'Catastrophic' dangers of 3D printed guns