Attorney General Dana Nessel joins 16-state coalition to block federal plan allowing distribution of rapid-fire conversion triggers for machine gun devices.

Coalition Sues to Halt Redistribution of Forced Reset Triggers

LANSING, Mich. — In a legal move that signals escalating tension over federal firearms regulation, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The lawsuit seeks to prevent the redistribution of Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs) — controversial firearm components that convert semiautomatic weapons into rapid-fire machines.

Filed June 9, 2025, the lawsuit aims to stop the ATF from returning thousands of FRTs that were previously seized and classified as illegal machine gun devices under federal law. The agency’s decision stems from a settlement agreement reached under Trump Administration leadership, which plaintiffs argue violates the very laws the ATF is sworn to enforce.

“Machine guns do not belong in our communities,” Nessel said in a public statement. “This unlawful action deliberately makes it easier to convert semiautomatic weapons into machine guns, putting lives at risk and undermining efforts to combat gun violence.”

What Are Forced Reset Triggers and Why Are They Controversial?

FRTs replace standard triggers on semiautomatic firearms, enabling them to fire multiple rounds per second with a single trigger pull — mimicking the rate of fire of military-grade machine guns. According to ATF records, FRT-equipped weapons can exceed 20 rounds per second, surpassing the firepower of some battlefield weapons.

While the ATF under past administrations classified such devices as machine guns, the May 2025 settlement marked a sharp reversal. The agreement states that the ATF will cease all enforcement against FRT possession and distribution — and even return previously confiscated units to individuals and vendors nationwide.

The Michigan lawsuit claims this violates both federal gun laws and individual state prohibitions, including those in Michigan, which independently bans machine gun conversion devices.

Spike in Gun Violence Tied to Machine Gun Conversion Devices

Data from the ATF shows a dramatic 1,400% increase in machine gun-style fire between 2019 and 2021. Authorities link this spike directly to the spread of devices like FRTs and other machine gun conversion devices (MCDs). These tools have been found with increasing frequency at violent crime scenes across the country, contributing to what officials describe as an accelerating national gun violence crisis.

The lawsuit emphasizes that allowing redistribution of FRTs will “aid and abet” violations of state gun laws, a concern the ATF itself acknowledged during prior enforcement actions.

Michigan’s Role and the Legal Stakes Ahead

The multistate coalition — which includes Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, and Washington — is seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the ATF’s redistribution plan. The complaint argues that the federal government cannot override criminal firearm statutes through a private legal settlement, particularly one that affects states with explicit bans on these devices.

According to the complaint, the ATF has no legal basis to waive enforcement against individuals not party to the settlement and that the planned redistribution would cause “permanent and irreparable harm” to public safety.

Nessel’s office highlighted Michigan’s specific vulnerability due to its own legal ban on such devices, noting that allowing them to reenter circulation would make it more difficult for local law enforcement to prevent mass shootings and violent crime.

Political and Legal Backdrop: A Settlement That Undermines Federal Law?

This litigation stems from conflicting federal court rulings during the Biden administration. While a federal judge in New York affirmed that FRTs fall under the federal machine gun ban, a judge in Texas ruled otherwise. That Texas ruling was under appeal until the May 16, 2025 settlement, which terminated all federal enforcement efforts.

The coalition argues that the Trump Administration’s agreement was an attempt to nullify settled federal law through litigation retreat, risking lives in every state where these devices remain illegal.

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