Virginia’s Assault Weapons Ban Faces Pushback from Federal Prosecutors

At least ten federal prosecutors have stated they will not enforce Virginia’s upcoming “assault weapons” ban, set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

A report from WAVY 10, referenced by Breitbart News on May 27, highlighted that three federal prosecutors had already expressed their refusal to enforce this law.

More recently, Virginia Senator Saddam Azlan Salim (D), who supports the ban, criticized these prosecutors for what he described as a “tough guy attitude.” He took to social media to convey his message, saying, “I know Republican prosecutors see this as an opportunity for tough-guy posturing and amateur constitutional law, but stopping the sale of assault weapons in Virginia is beyond the control of individual prosecutors.”

Despite Salim’s comments, the number of prosecutors against the ban only increased. By June 1, 2026, WJLA noted that the count of federal prosecutors unwilling to enforce the ban had reached ten.

Among those prosecutors is Clark County Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew E. Bass. Additionally, the Clark County Sheriff, Travis Sumption, has also indicated that his department will not enforce the law.

In a joint statement, Bass and Sumption emphasized that there would be no new restrictions for “non-violent offenders.”