It’s no secret that gun ownership is on the rise in the United States. But what may come as a surprise to some is that it’s not necessarily American citizens who are buying the guns.
According to a report from the Department of Labor Statistics, foreign nationals living in the United States are actually the driving force behind the increased gun sales. In 2017, foreign nationals made up just over 10% of all gun purchases in the US. And their numbers are rapidly growing.
In fact, some experts believe that the foreign nationals purchasing guns in the US may actually be a major factor in the overall increase in firearms globally. Many countries, including Mexico, permit the sale of weapons to citizens living in the US. The ease with which weapons can be acquired by foreign nationals is a major concern for many US law enforcement and federal agencies.
At the same time, many American gun owners are choosing to purchase firearms for self-defense and other reasons. The gun market is booming and a large portion of the consumer base for these guns come from US citizens. In 2017, there were 23.1 million Americans with firearms, an increase of 4.4 million over the past decade.
The fact that foreign nationals are buying guns in the US is an important issue that requires a closer look and analysis of the underlying causes. With gun violence an ongoing issue in many parts of the country, the need for gun control and regulation is greater than ever before. As more foreign nationals gain access to firearms, law enforcement must work to ensure that these weapons do not end up in the wrong hands.