On Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Denver, alleging that the city's decades-old ban on semi-automatic weapons violates the Second Amendment. Enacted nearly 40 years ago, the ordinance restricts firearms with magazines that hold more than 15 rounds. The DOJ's civil lawsuit requests a judge to prevent the city and its police department from enforcing this ban and to implement measures to rectify any violations of citizens' rights. Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, emphasized that law-abiding Americans should not face criminal penalties for exercising their rights. The Justice Department has committed to challenging state and local gun policies it deems unconstitutional, having previously filed lawsuits against Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands Police Department. Despite the DOJ's warnings, Denver city officials have rejected the notion that the ban is unconstitutional, asserting that it has contributed to a reduction in violent crime. City Attorney Miko Brown criticized the DOJ's actions as an overreach of federal power.