WASHINGTON (CN) - The Supreme Court helped U.S. gun manufacturers escape legal consequences for boosting Mexican cartel violence on Thursday, reinforcing an immunity shield protecting firearm sellers from liability for harm solely caused by others.

Mexico's lawsuit aimed at a crime pipeline illegally moving U.S. firearms across the border to cartels. According to Mexico, American gun manufacturers knowingly feed into the "iron river,"  facilitating violence and drug trafficking across the nation. 

In January, the Justice Department reported a 25% increase in trace requests for guns used in crimes from Mexican authorities in recent years. Over three-fourths of crime guns recovered in Mexico are traced to four southwest border states: Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Mexico sued seven gun manufacturers in 2021, seeking to pull the linchpin from the crime gun pipeline. U.S. gunmakers are an essential component of cartel violence, Mexico argued, because it maintains strict firearm regulations and only has one gun store in the entire nation.

Among the U.S. manufacturers being sued are Smith & Wesson Brands, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Beretta U.S.A. Corp, Glock, Sturm, Ruger & Company and Colt's Manufacturing Company.

Mexico says the gunmakers sell to cartels through straw purchasers - third parties that buy guns legally from a licensed dealer and then traffic them across the border. The gun manufacturers not only know they're selling to cartel dealers, Mexico claims, but they also deliberately and systematically support the unlawful trade.

During oral arguments at the Supreme Court in March, the justices were broadly skeptical of Mexico's claims.

Source: Courthouse News Service