Comment on FR Doc # 2026-09162
The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and SocietyOpposeAdvocacy
Summary: The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church opposes the proposed rule, arguing that it creates regulatory blind spots that facilitate transnational gun trafficking. They express concern that the exemptions will allow importers to assemble or modify weapons in warehouses, making it harder for authorities to trace firearms used in violent crimes.
As the social justice agency of the United Methodist Church, the General Board of Church and Society, we are writing to OPPOSE proposed rule RIN 1140-AA93. The proposed exemptions for Foreign Trade Zones & Customs Bonded Warehouses create significant regulatory blind spots. These gaps
undermine international efforts to combat transnational gun trafficking, particularly from the US to Mexico, Haiti and across the Americas, enabling gun importers to use these warehouses to assemble or modify the guns before sending them to the market. Many importers circumvent rules by
importing parts to be later assembled into a war gun, like popular AK-47 type weapons highly demanded by cartels and gangs. Overruling a standard import verification hampers the ability for the US and foreign authorities to trace weapons used in violent crimes. As people of faith, we are called upon to lead as peacemakers and prophetic witnesses to make our communities safer from gun violence. The United Methodist Church stands for peace and against any policy that puts communities at serious risk.