Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners Foundation have filed a federal lawsuit, Henry v. Brooks, against the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands for refusing to allow non‑residents to obtain permits to carry firearms.
According to the complaint, GOA argues that U.S. citizens have no path to reciprocity with the territory. In fact, the Virgin Islands repealed its reciprocity statute in 2022, leaving travelers with zero legal mechanism to exercise their right to carry.
GOA further states that both residents and non‑residents are effectively blocked from lawful firearm possession, calling the territory’s residency requirement a direct violation of the Second Amendment.
Gun Owners Foundation posted a summary of the lawsuit, noting:
“GOA and Gun Owners Foundation filed a federal lawsuit challenging the U.S. Virgin Islands’ ban on firearm possession and carry by nonresidents. The lawsuit argues that law‑abiding Americans should not lose their Second Amendment rights simply because they travel to a U.S. territory and seeks to strike down residency requirements that prevent visitors from exercising their constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”
A ruling in this case could force the Virgin Islands to finally recognize that constitutional rights don’t disappear at the edge of a map.
Leave a Reply