Article Info
GOA Sues USVI Over Nonresident Carry Ban
| Scope | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | U.S. Virgin Islands / Federal |
| Impact | national |
| Key Entities | |
| Plaintiff organization filing the federal lawsuit | Gun Owners of America |
| Co-plaintiff organization | Gun Owners Foundation |
| Defendant territory; enforces the nonresident carry ban | U.S. Virgin Islands |
| GOA USVI Outreach Director and spokesperson | Luis Valdes |
| Legal Issues | |
| |
| What It Means | |
| |
| Timeline | |
| June 23, 2022 | Supreme Court issues NYSRPA v. Bruen decision |
| 2022 | USVI repeals limited reciprocity law following Bruen |
GOA Sues USVI Over Nonresident Carry Ban
The U.S. Virgin Islands bars nonresidents from even applying for a carry permit — GOA is asking federal courts to end it
From The Boise Gun Club Handbook
Gun Owners of America has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Virgin Islands for categorically denying nonresidents any legal path to carry a firearm for self-defense.
State of play: The USVI doesn't just refuse to honor out-of-state permits — it bars nonresidents from applying for a USVI license at all. After the Supreme Court's Bruen decision in 2022, the territory quietly repealed its limited reciprocity law, closing the last door for visiting gun owners.
Catch up quick:
- GOA previously forced California and New York to accept concealed carry applications from qualified nonresidents
- The plaintiff here holds a valid Florida Concealed Weapon License and holds an FFL — he meets every USVI requirement except his zip code
- He can't apply. Not denied. Can't even apply.
The plaintiff's situation is a clean test case. He's not a prohibited person looking for a loophole. He's a federally licensed firearms dealer with a state carry permit planning a trip to St. Thomas. The USVI's answer is that his Second Amendment rights don't make the flight with him.
The legal question: GOA's complaint argues the residency-only exclusion violates both the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. The ask is straightforward — require the territory to accept applications from qualified nonresidents, the same remedy that worked in California and New York.
"The Second Amendment doesn't end at the shoreline. Americans don't lose their constitutional rights simply because they travel to a U.S. territory." — Luis Valdes, GOA USVI Outreach Director
What to watch: This case follows a pattern GOA has used successfully on the mainland. If the federal courts apply Bruen's historical tradition test consistently, blanket residency exclusions are hard to defend. A win here would set precedent affecting any U.S. territory with similar schemes — and there are others.
The bottom line: Your constitutional rights don't have a residency requirement. The courts are increasingly agreeing.
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