Senate Democrats CC BY 2.0 DEED, via Flickr / Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED, via Flickr, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

The Department of Justice, under President Joe Biden's administration, made waves with the unveiling of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center, catching some congressional Republicans off guard.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, in a press release on Saturday, outlined the purpose of the new national resource center, aimed at equipping partners nationwide with tools to prevent individuals deemed dangerous from accessing firearms.

This initiative is in line with Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), commonly known as “red flag” laws, which authorize authorities to seize firearms from individuals considered a threat to themselves or others, along with imposing restrictions on firearm acquisition and possession for the duration of the order.

Garland underscored the DOJ's commitment to utilizing all available tools provided by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to combat gun violence, emphasizing the center's role in providing training and technical assistance to various stakeholders responsible for implementing laws designed to mitigate gun-related threats.

Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly announced the creation of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center during a speech at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a poignant location where a tragic school shooting claimed 17 lives in 2018.

While ERPOs have garnered support from gun control advocacy groups like Brady: United Against Gun Violence, conservative groups have raised objections, citing concerns about due process and Second Amendment rights infringement. The National Rifle Association (NRA) has been vocal in its opposition to ERPOs, alleging potential abuse and targeting of individuals based on political views.

The DOJ's announcement of the resource center took many Republicans by surprise, eliciting strong reactions from lawmakers such as Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who labeled the initiative as “evil.”

“What the hell is this evil?” he said. “A Federal Red Flag center; We did not authorize this. Announced, of course, just hours after the omnibus passes.”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) also expressed skepticism about the DOJ's move.

Second Amendment advocate Dana Loesch criticized the resource center as an assault on due process, highlighting concerns about its potential application and effectiveness in preventing tragedies.

Biden's push for more stringent gun control measures, including expanded background checks and a promise to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, underscores the administration's commitment to addressing gun violence at the national level.

Despite the DOJ's announcement, certain aspects were notably omitted from the discourse.

For instance, the DOJ and Harris did not mention California's adoption of a red flag law in 2014, despite the state's high number of “active shooter incidents” in 2021. Similarly, the failure of Florida's red flag law to prevent a subsequent massacre after the Parkland school shooting raises questions about the efficacy of such measures in preventing gun-related tragedies.