“Anything Brought Over The Border Is Within DHS Jurisdiction”

May 8, 2013

in Front Page, Government, U.S. Constitution

The Washington Times wrote a story about a man named Kristopher Gasior. He is a licensed dealer of collectible firearms, edged weapons, militaria and books. Mr. Gasior also owns a gun collection that includes a rare military rifle made by the Polish government in 1938. The rifle was captured by invading German forces in 1939 and brought to the United States by a GI who took it from a German in the final days of World War II.

On March 8th, 2013 two Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) agents visited his home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They didn’t have a warrant, but Mr. Gasior’s wife invited them in, and when her husband came into the room, they asked if he had the rifle. When he said yes and showed it to them, they seized it and gave him a receipt after informing him that they were taking it on behalf of the Polish government. They claimed it was a “one-of-a-kind rifle” that had been looted from the Polish government during the war.

Mr. Gasior, who is one of the world’s experts on just this kind of firearm, argued that it was rare, but certainly not “a one-of-a-kind rifle.” It was, he said, a limited-production model that was never in a museum, but was issued to Poles and surrendered to the Germans along with similar rifles during the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and subsequently, captured by a GI and brought home as a souvenir.

The agent replied that, as far as the U.S. government is concerned, anything brought over the border at any time was within Department of Homeland Security jurisdiction and could be seized.

Misusing governmental power in this way is indicative of how the Obama administration is redefining the jurisdiction and powers of various agencies in its war on gun owners. That war is likely to continue even if Congress refuses to pass the anti-gun legislation President Obama wants.