Here’s a question Ivan posed in the Texas Law Shield Forums under “General Firearms Law Discussion”:
Q: A good friend of mine, a single mother, lives alone with her daughter. They live in a good neighborhood, but since they live alone, she has thought about owning a gun or a shotgun (she grew up around guns/hunting). She is a Mexican national and not a permanent resident. She’s a legal resident of Texas, has a work visa and owns her own business. Is she legally allowed to purchase and own a gun?
A: Hey Ivan: Unfortunately for your friend, if she is present in the United States under a non-immigrant visa, then she cannot purchase a firearm from an FFL, and it is also illegal under federal law for her to possess a firearm.
There are some exceptions for a person under a non-immigrant visa to possess a firearm, but these are usually limited to hunting or government purposes. If someone is a permanent resident alien attempting to attain citizenship, then they have full rights to purchase and possess a firearm, while an illegal alien can never acquire the right to purchase or possess a firearm.
Got a question for the program lawyers at Texas Law Shield? Want to discuss carry firearms, holsters, and ammunition? Join an existing Forum thread or start a new thread.
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