MD_Willington
Member
This is in an email I just received:
MD Willington said:I just want to know if WA State is allowed to go against Federal law here, Federal law mainly pertains to Non-Immigrant Aliens, but myself and many others are Immigrant Aliens, and Federal laws generally allow permanent residents / legal immigrants access to firearms.
The Reply said:Under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, if there is a conflict between federal or state law, federal law prevails unless the federal law expressly provides that state laws prevail in specific circumstances. Where federal law doesn't address an issue, state law is valid assuming it doesn't violate the federal or state constitution. If federal law allows immigrant aliens the right to firearms (such as if they "have a valid hunting license and according to the BATFE are allowed to possess a firearm for sporting purposes or rent a firearm at a supervised range") and Washington law denies them that right then the courts are the place to settle that dispute in light of the failure of the Legislature to act in this regard.