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Guns-- can you get one if you're a permanent resident?

Guns-- can you get one if you're a permanent resident?

Old Feb 10th 2001, 5:26 pm
  #1  
cookie3110
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Hi. Maybe someone can help me with this question.

My ex-brother-in-law (we’re all on pretty good terms and all help out looking after the
kids) has a green card; he’s a permanent resident. Well, we were talking about going
hunting. The question we had is: can he get a gun? He would need a rifle. He also wants to
know about getting a pistol, for plinking and self-defense. I know that the right to bear
arms is in the Constitution. But does that right only apply to citizens? If it does apply
to permanent residents, is there something my ex-brother-in-law would have to file with
the INS? Thanks in advance to anyone who answers this.
 
Old Feb 10th 2001, 10:12 pm
  #2  
Mark Carroll
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No, he wouldn't have to file anything special with the INS. It depends on your state's gun
laws. Better contact your local firearms people. Good luck!

-- Mark
 
Old Feb 10th 2001, 10:50 pm
  #3  
Ed MacNeil
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Hi,

THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. I AM NOT A LAWYER. I DON'T EVEN PLAY
ONE ON TV!

Permanent residents are allowed to use firearms for lawful purposes. you might want to
check into the specifics of your states laws.

The web site of the National Rifle Association <www.nra.org> can be quite helpful in this
regard. If you are not a member of NRA and are eligible to join, I'd urge you to do so.

Ed MacNeil Ancient Aviator North Hampton, NH, USA

> Hi. Maybe someone can help me with this question.
>
> My ex-brother-in-law (we’re all on pretty good terms and all help out looking after the
> kids) has a green card; he’s a permanent resident. Well, we were talking about going
> hunting. The question we had is: can he get a gun? He would need a rifle. He also wants
> to know about getting a pistol, for plinking and self-defense. I know that the right to
> bear arms is in the Constitution. But does that right only apply to citizens? If it does
> apply to permanent residents, is there something my ex-brother-in-law would have to file
> with the INS? Thanks in advance to anyone who answers this.
 
Old Feb 11th 2001, 1:46 am
  #4  
Jon Jon
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>Hi,
>
>THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. I AM NOT A LAWYER. I DON'T EVEN PLAY
>ONE ON TV!
>
>Permanent residents are allowed to use firearms for lawful purposes. you might want to
>check into the specifics of your states laws.
>
>The web site of the National Rifle Association <www.nra.org> can be quite helpful in this
>regard. If you are not a member of NRA and are eligible to join, I'd urge you to do so.

As long as you agree with their political principles, of course...
 
Old Feb 11th 2001, 2:33 pm
  #5  
cookie3110
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Hi, It’s me again, the guy who posted the original message. Thanks for the responses.
After I posted my question, I did some more searching on the internet. I came across a
website about gun laws (Bob’s Guide to Firearm Laws;
http://www.bobmassella.com/firearm/). At the FAQ there, it said that federal law
prohibits selling firearms to certain people. One of those groups of people is illegal
aliens; another group is aliens with nonimmigrant visas.

I checked this out by looking up the law at the Library of Congress website
(http://www.loc.gov). After following some links, what I found was the same thing that
“Bob� had on his website:

United States Code, Title 18, Chapter 44, Section 922(d)(5)

(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm
or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that
such person –

<snip>

(5) who, being an alien -
(A) is illegally or unlawfully in the United States; or
(B) except as provided in subsection (y)(2), has been admitted to the
United States under a nonimmigrant visa (as that term is defined in
section 101(a)(26) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(26)));

So, I guess the bottom line is this: if you are a permanent resident (if you have a green
card), you can buy guns. You have to follow all local laws, but you can do it. And, if
you’re here illegally, you can’t but guns. And if you’re here legally but you aren’t a
permanent resident (if you don’t have a green card), you can’t buy guns.

See you hunting !


> Hi. Maybe someone can help me with this question.
>
> My ex-brother-in-law (we’re all on pretty good terms and all help out looking after the
> kids) has a green card; he’s a permanent resident. Well, we were talking about going
> hunting. The question we had is:
can
> he get a gun? He would need a rifle. He also wants to know about getting a pistol, for
> plinking and self-defense. I know that the
right
> to bear arms is in the Constitution. But does that right only apply
to
> citizens? If it does apply to permanent residents, is there something my
> ex-brother-in-law would have to file with the INS? Thanks in advance to anyone who
> answers this.
 
Old Feb 11th 2001, 4:05 pm
  #6  
Ed MacNeil
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Kind of difficult to imagine a gun owner who wouldn't take the Second Amendment pretty
seriously!

Ed MacNeil Ancient Aviator North Hampton, NH, USA

Jon wrote:

> On Sat, 10 Feb 2001 18:50:58 -0500, Ed MacNeil <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Hi,
> >
> >THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. I AM NOT A LAWYER. I DON'T EVEN PLAY
> >ONE ON TV!
> >
> >Permanent residents are allowed to use firearms for lawful purposes. you might want to
> >check into the specifics of your states laws.
> >
> >The web site of the National Rifle Association <www.nra.org> can be quite helpful in
> >this regard. If you are not a member of NRA and are eligible to join, I'd urge you
> >to do so.
>
> As long as you agree with their political principles, of course...
 
Old Feb 11th 2001, 4:35 pm
  #7  
waughs
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I will save you imagining. I own LOTS of guns, because I like to shoot them. Whether I
would be said to take the 2nd Amendment seriously would depend upon the speaker's own
point-of-view. I can assure you, however, that I routinely, almost universally, disagree
with positions taken by the NRA.

However, getting away from them is, regrettably, difficult, if you want to receive, or
want your children to receive, training in the responsible use of firearms. For that
reason, I would advise the original poster to consider contacting the NRA. I would also
urge him to take their politics with a grain of salt.
=========================

On Sun, 11 Feb 2001 12:05:06 -0500, Ed MacNeil

>Kind of difficult to imagine a gun owner who wouldn't take the Second Amendment pretty
>seriously!
>
>Ed MacNeil Ancient Aviator North Hampton, NH, USA
=========================
Previously, as to the NRA, Jon wrote:>> As long as you agree with their political
principles, of course...
>
=========================
>> Earlier still, Ed MacNeil <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >Hi,
>> >
>> >THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. I AM NOT A LAWYER. I DON'T EVEN PLAY
>> >ONE ON TV!
>> >
>> >Permanent residents are allowed to use firearms for lawful purposes. you might want to
>> >check into the specifics of your states laws.
>> >
>> >The web site of the National Rifle Association <www.nra.org> can be quite helpful in
>> >this regard. If you are not a member of NRA and are eligible to join, I'd urge you to
>> >do so.
 

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