Senator Ted Cruz, along with a group of Republican lawmakers, has filed a legal brief supporting American gun manufacturers in a Supreme Court case brought by the Mexican government. Mexico alleges that U.S. gun makers, including Smith & Wesson and Ruger, bear responsibility for cartel violence due to their awareness of firearms trafficking into Mexico. The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, seeks to hold these companies liable for the violence.

Cruz argues that the lawsuit infringes upon U.S. sovereignty and Second Amendment rights. He expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will reject Mexico's claims and protect American constitutional freedoms. Several other Republican Senators and House Representatives have joined Cruz in this effort.

Representative Darrell Issa, a signatory to the brief, emphasized the unity among supporters, which include organizations like the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition. He views the case as a pivotal legal battle concerning foreign governments' attempts to undermine American sovereignty and Second Amendment rights.

The filed brief criticizes the lawsuit as an overreach by the Mexican government, attempting to bypass Congress and the Executive branch. It asserts that the suit disrespects the constitutional balance of power and challenges American sovereignty. The brief also underscores the Second Amendment's importance to American liberty, citing a previous Supreme Court ruling, and argues that Mexico's lawsuit aims to impose significant financial burdens and restrictions on U.S. gun manufacturers, exceeding the authority of any U.S. governing body.

This action follows a similar effort in May by over two dozen Republican attorneys general, led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who urged the Supreme Court to hear the case to prevent foreign interference with American citizens' rights. Initially dismissed by a Massachusetts federal judge, Mexico's lawsuit was revived by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, with backing from California and other Democrat-led states. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in February.