Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 12 attorneys general, is calling on members of Congress to take action to stop gun trafficking from the U.S. to Caribbean countries. Raoul and the coalition issued a letter to Congress today outlining a number of measures Congress can take to help reduce gun trafficking and violence in the Caribbean.
“The proposals we are endorsing today offer commonsense solutions to help stem the tide of illegal guns flowing into Caribbean countries from the U.S.,” Raoul said. “Without action, firearms will continue to be imported illegally, increasing instability and further jeopardizing the safety of millions who call the Caribbean home. I will continue to work to address gun violence in all its forms and advocate for laws that address firearm trafficking wherever it occurs.”
In their letter, Raoul and the coalition highlight how guns smuggled into the Caribbean from the U.S. have surged in recent years and contribute significantly to gun violence in those countries. The letter highlights a 2023 United Nations report indicating that the U.S. has been a principal source of firearms and ammunitions in Haiti, leading to increased firearm and drug trafficking, and benefiting gangs and their backers who have taken advantage of the country’s deteriorating security situation. The situation is also making it more difficult for international agencies to provide lifesaving humanitarian aid. In addition, the Jamaican Security Ministry estimates that at least 200 guns are trafficked from the U.S. into the country each month. Jamaica currently has one of the highest homicide rates per capita based on countries with reliable statistics. The coalition also highlights the likelihood that increased violence in the Caribbean will lead to more people seeking shelter in the U.S.
The coalition outlines a number of measures Congress can take to help reduce gun trafficking into the Caribbean, including ensuring inspectors at American ports have enough resources to make inspections and passing the Caribbean Arms Trafficking Causes Harm (CATCH) Act. The CATCH Act would provide state and federal governments with more information about gun trafficking into the Caribbean and determine which anti-gun trafficking methods are working to reduce gun violence.
In addition, Raoul and the coalition are asking Congress to ensure the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has sufficient funding to inspect federal firearms licensees that are responsible for a disproportionate number of firearms that are traced after having been used in crimes in countries in the Caribbean. They are also requesting briefings from the U.S. Postal Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice about their ongoing efforts to interdict shipments of guns from the U.S. to countries in the Caribbean, with a focus on the additional resources and legal tools needed to accomplish this important task.
The brief is the most recent step in Attorney General Raoul’s work to address gun violence. The Attorney General’s office created a state-of-the-art crime-gun tracing database for Illinois law enforcement called Crime Gun Connect. Raoul’s office also collaborates with local law enforcement to combat gun trafficking and has used the office’s jurisdiction to prosecute multi-county gun trafficking offenses. Additionally, the Attorney General’s office works with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to increase awareness of Illinois’ red flag law and to address gaps in Illinois’ firearms licensing system. The office also prosecutes individuals who lie on FOID card applications.
The Attorney General’s office partners with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) to try to avert violence by hosting trainings for law enforcement officers, educators, religious leaders and other community members that are designed to prevent targeted acts of violence.
Attorney General Raoul has persistently advocated at the federal and state levels to strengthen regulation of 3D-printed guns and ghost guns. Illinois law now prohibits ghost guns, but the office continues to fight in federal court to help defend a recent rule closing the federal loophole. Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s office also defends cases pending in courts across the state challenging Illinois’ regulations of firearms. Nationally, Attorney General Raoul successfully filed and resolved a lawsuit to get the federal firearm license of an unscrupulous arms manufacturer revoked.
In addition to supporting law enforcement efforts to keep communities safe from gun violence, the Attorney General’s office supports victims’ service providers around Illinois that offer trauma-informed services for crime victims and their families. Raoul’s Violence Prevention and Crime Victim Services Division administers a host of programs and services to assist survivors of violent crime. More information is available on the Attorney General’s website.
Joining Raoul in sending today’s letter are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
