A federal judge in Ohio has denied a request to dismiss a gun charge against an illegal immigrant, Carlos Serrano-Restrepo, who has been living in the US for more than 15 years. Serrano-Restrepo was indicted for possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the US after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered he had purchased at least 22 firearms and claimed to be a US citizen on the firearms forms.
Following an investigation, agents searched Serrano-Restrepo’s home and seized approximately 170 firearms, along with tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition and smoke/marine markers. Photos from the search revealed that he kept firearms in gun safes and had handguns mounted in holsters on the wall of a closet. Serrano-Restrepo argued that some of the guns were purchased for self-defense.
His lawyer attempted to have the charge dismissed on the basis of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. However, the judge rejected this argument, stating that disarming unlawful immigrants like Serrano-Restrepo aligns with the nation’s history and tradition of firearm regulations. The judge emphasized that allegiance to the United States is sworn through the naturalization process, not through asylum applications or years of residency.
Serrano-Restrepo’s trial is scheduled for January 21, 2025. He moved to Orient, Ohio, from Arizona in 2022 and admitted to unlawfully entering the US in 2008. In addition to the gun charge, Serrano-Restrepo owns a business that specializes in remediating fire and flooding damage.
Overall, the case highlights the complex legal issues surrounding gun ownership for illegal immigrants and the importance of upholding firearm regulations in the United States.
