Is Illinois' ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines a violation of the US Constitution and the Second Amendment's right to bear arms? The Southern District of Illinois has blocked the enforcement of the Protect Illinois Communities Act until a lawsuit is resolved. Judge Stephen P. McGlynn stated in his 29-page opinion that the law is likely to be found unconstitutional at trial and that law-abiding citizens will suffer harm without a preliminary injunction. He also emphasized that the law cannot be used to reduce the rights of citizens based on the senseless acts of a relative few.

The law aims to curb the number of shooting incidents in the city and restricts the manufacture, sale, and possession of some 190 firearms and large-capacity magazines. While gun control advocates claim it is necessary to reduce firearms-related violence, gun rights groups have sued the state, stating that the law violates Second Amendment protections. The decision of the Southern Illinois court contradicts an earlier ruling by a judge in the Northern District of Illinois, and plaintiffs have indicated that they are preparing to appeal.