New Act Mandates Federal Strategy to Seize Illegal Gun Conversion Devices Within 120 Days

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act of 2025 is laser-focused on one thing: stopping the flow of devices that turn legal firearms into fully automatic machineguns. This isn't about redefining what a machinegun is—it sticks to the established tax code definition—but it specifically targets the 'machinegun conversion device,' which it defines as any part or combination of parts designed only to make that illegal conversion happen (SEC. 2).

The 120-Day Clock for Law Enforcement

If you’re a local cop or a border agent, this bill means new marching orders and new training. Within 120 days of the law taking effect, the Attorney General (DOJ), the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Secretary of the Treasury must launch a joint strategy to block and seize these conversion devices (SEC. 3). This isn't just a paper plan; it requires real coordination. Federal agencies like the ATF, FBI, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have to team up with state and local police. Think of it as a massive, mandatory information-sharing and training session, ensuring that a state trooper in Ohio or a sheriff in Arizona knows exactly how to spot these parts.

Crucially, the strategy must include plans for tracing seized devices, whether they came from overseas or were made right here in the U.S.—including those created using 3D printing technology. For anyone involved in the illegal manufacture or trafficking of these parts, this means a much higher chance of getting caught and traced back to the source. The three department heads must report their initial plan to Congress within that 120-day window and provide updates every two years after that, ensuring accountability for the strategy’s effectiveness.

Hitting Traffickers Where It Hurts: The Wallet

Beyond the enforcement strategy, the bill expands the government's ability to seize profits from illegal gun activity. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to make it crystal clear: any money made from the illegal trafficking of a machinegun is now specifically subject to forfeiture (SEC. 4). This means if someone is running a side hustle selling these conversion kits, the government can come after their bank accounts, assets, and anything else derived from that illegal income. It’s a direct financial disincentive aimed at cutting off the money supply for illegal weapons dealers.

Finally, the bill mandates better data collection. The Attorney General must now include specific statistics about these conversion devices in the annual firearms trafficking report (SEC. 5). This includes how many crimes involved them and, critically, whether the devices used were made domestically or imported. For those of us who want to see policy based on evidence, this required reporting means we’ll get a clearer picture of the scale and source of this specific illegal weapons market.