Warren and Meeks Demand Detailed Accounting of U.S. Semi‑Automatic Gun Exports Amid Cartel Diversion Concerns

Two senior Democratic lawmakers have asked the U.S. Commerce Department for a full accounting of export licenses for semi‑automatic firearms, citing evidence that legally exported American weapons may be fueling criminal violence and arming cartels across the Western Hemisphere.

In a letter reviewed by Reuters, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D‑Mass.) and Representative Gregory Meeks (D‑N.Y.) wrote to Under Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler on Sunday, invoking their oversight authority under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018. The lawmakers requested comprehensive records for export licenses approved since January 2025.

Scope of the request: The letter asks the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security to disclose the number of licenses approved for semi‑automatic rifles, pistols, shotguns and related accessories; the destination countries; the categories of purchasers authorized to receive those exports; and any monitoring or post‑shipment checks designed to prevent diversion into illegal markets.

The lawmakers asked for a written response and a full briefing to the relevant committees by April 13.

Warren and Meeks cited data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) indicating that legally exported U.S. firearms account for nearly 20% of crime‑gun traces in Central America and more than 37% of such traces globally outside North America.

Context and previous actions: The inquiry continues Senator Warren's recent efforts to scrutinize how U.S.‑made weapons and ammunition can be diverted to criminal groups. Earlier in March she introduced legislation to block an Army‑owned ammunition plant in Missouri from selling military‑grade rounds to civilians, citing claims that some rounds have been diverted to Mexican drug cartels and were linked to more than a dozen mass shootings in the United States.

In 2023, the Commerce Department temporarily paused export licensing for most civilian firearms and ammunition while assessing the risk that exports could be diverted to actors that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activity.

U.S. manufacturers mentioned: Observers have pointed to U.S. firms such as Sturm Ruger & Co. and Smith & Wesson Brands among companies whose products have featured in export records and tracing data.

This oversight request underscores growing congressional attention on the international flow of U.S. small arms and the mechanisms intended to prevent diversion to illicit buyers.